Pinkamenace II Society
by darthpinkamena
Summary: Twilight Sparkle reluctantly embarks on a journey to Hoofington to learn the magic of friendship. However, she instead finds herself in the ghetto that is Ponyville, where friendship has taken a back seat to "Sweets" addictions and violent power struggles. Will Twilight be able to complete her quest among the jaded denizens of Ponyville or just be caught in the crossfire?
1. Welcome II the Jungle

Pinkamenace II Society Chapter 1

"You bucking louse! Thinkin' you could skip out on all the bits you be owing? Buck you. Y'all are gonna learn some respec' right now! You hear dat? RIGHT NOW! Yer about to see da boss and she's bout fed up wit' jus' threats." The room was not very bright, but Bon Bon could clearly see the brute speaking to her: a large earth pony of green coat and purple mane with a crowbar cutie mark. It was the same pony who had kicked her door open and demanded the bits for her "sweet tooth". His name was JackSlap and he lived up to it.

JackSlap was one of Applejack's goons, second to only Big Mac. He was dull witted but vicious, brutal, and good with the 9-millimeter hoofgun slung across his back leg just below his cutie mark. He was the one who did the dirty work off the farm. He would do whatever Applejack wanted and usually with a sick sort of enjoyment. He had, after all, earned his cutie mark while teaching those who owed hefty sums of bits to pay their debts.

He had clipped her with stinging shots from his forehooves when she tried to explain that she hadn't yet come up with the bits she owed. He struck her repeatedly and, with help from his collector friends, dragged her through the broken streets of the ghetto that was Ponyville by her tail. She was sure this was a show intended to keep the fear of owing a drug lord in the minds of all the other "Sweets" addicts. She whined when one of the earth ponies stopped to kick her flank or legs. They largely left her face alone. She knew what Applejack did with those who didn't pay up on time.

Rumors spoke of a whole room of faces hanging from the walls in a secret room in Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack kept them where she made her drug deals and frequently reminded those who bought her mass-produced substances that she was the boss and that crossing her would lead only to another bodiless face on her trophy wall. No one fucked with Applejack and lived.

The room was cold and dark. Heavy cement walls and only a single electric bulb hanging from a swinging string of wires adorned the room. There were no windows and the only opening was a steel door in front of which JackSlap stood. A sturdy wooden beam stretched the length of the room just below the low ceiling and held a pair of chains just the right length to hold a pony in place by his forelegs. Along the floor were splotches of what had to have been blood. This was a room nopony wanted to enter. It was a learning room. A room of pain. A room built to teach that when you promised payments you made them.

Bon Bon's cream-colored coat was a dirty brown now and she cringed from JackSlap. Since they had arrived, he had only threatened and ranted but hadn't actually harmed her. Her heart rode in her throat and she tried to stay against the cement wall of the small room. She could see the rust colors on the gray cement floor and walls and knew that others had been hurt here. Some had probably died in this room. It was her turn.

Applejack was going to sic her men on her with tools and then slice off her face. She had been given two warnings already, but just could not seem to come up with the money without stealing or selling her body. She was a good pony still and tried to keep her problems to herself. She didn't want to take things from others or resort to walking the streets for bits and she definitely didn't want to end up working for a pimp. She would just work harder and raise the money, but then Lyra had left…

Despite the horror of this place and the terrors that JackSlap was promising, she found herself remembering the night her life fell apart. She had been doing Sweets for a while and it was getting to be an every night thing. Lyra was crying again and…

A loud rapping at the steel door prompted a twisted grin from JackSlap. "Uh oh…bucking boss is here. Dis is it, bitch. I'll come see ya in da trophy room….course you won't be seein' anyting den." His laugh was sick and he pulled the metal door open.

The opened entrance brought bright daylight into the dim room and Big Mac stepped into the space. The cramped room seemed even more so under the bulk of the stallion. The head of security for his younger sister, he was the biggest stallion in Ponyville and sported a red coat and orange hair. His cutie mark was a split apple. In a way, that was what he did now. The business had turned him harsh and cold. Calculating, but cunning. He had taken to his new occupation when the Sweet Apple Acres business model had changed those ten years back. Once he had been kind and friendly…and dumb. Now he prided himself on keeping the family business running smoothly through his hard physical labor and the innate wisdom he discovered when deals went sour or competitors attempted to put them out of business. Now when someone reared their head to spit into the Apple family's face, he cut them off. He glared at Bon Bon, his eyes soulless and hard, freezing her in place. He stomped his hooves and moved closer to the blue and pink maned Bon Bon.

"You're…you're not really going to hurt me over 20 bits are you, Big Mac?" The frightened mare whimpered. Her body drew up in the corner trying to stay as far away from the large red stallion as she could manage. Her eyes dilated in fear. She could swear she was already feeling those powerful hooves stomping her ribcage into paste. Her chest throbbed from her heart clenching and her breathing was like sandpaper being rubbed inside her chest and throat. What scared her most was that it would likely hurt much worse than that when he began.

"Eeyup." The physical Adonis kept his words short and to the point most of the time. He didn't like to talk things out, never did. Now he only really used full sentences when advising his sister or telling his men what to do. His steps were slow and timed for maximum response. Each heavy thud was another second he was closing in. He wanted the moment to be thick in their minds and their fear to reach its apex before he landed the first true blow. It was an aching few seconds for Bon Bon before he grasped her slender throat and lifted her off the floor completely with one hoof while standing on his back legs. He smirked and pinned her to the wall with his weight as he slowly drew his other hoof back. He would break her jaw first before crushing her midsection under his hooves. He meant to kill.

Bon Bon croaked through the hoof crushing her throat into the wall. "But…we…e used to…be…friends!"

The swing came forward and Bon Bon clenched her eyes shut tight, hoping to be knocked unconscious before being stomped to death. A tear dripped from her eye. "Sorry, Lyra…"

"Stop, Big Mac!" A form had taken the brightness from the open door and Macintosh halted his punch before it could impact the mare. "We did used to be friends."

Applejack strode into the room, her hair long with a short ponytail at the end and all spilling out from under her telltale hat. Applejack was a strong mare. No other earth ponies could match her. If it weren't for the youngest sister in the family, being strong would have been a family trait. She had business in mind and this plan had been one they used fairly often. This, of course, was the last warning that Bon Bon would get. Applejack wore a stern look and stepped right up and under Big Mac's arm holding Bon Bon to the wall. She pulled back and up to her back legs and placed a hoof on either side of the squirming and suffocating bit ower. AJ's eyes burned and she made certain that Bon Bon was looking deeply into them.

Jackslap grinned. "Hey boss, wanna do dis one yoself?" Even now after a dozen such occasions, JackSlap was sure that his boss meant to end the victim herself. It was probably a good thing because, with his limited intelligence, he would not have been a convincing actor.

The orange mare simply shook her head slowly, making sure to keep her gaze locked on Bon Bon. "Our friend deserves one more chance. Hard times, right Bon Bon? Can't make the money because yer dear old ma is sick er somethin', right?"

Bon Bon's lungs were burning for oxygen and she didn't know what was happening. Applejack was so frightening. She knew her life was weighing on this country mare and was eager to agree with whatever she wanted to hear. She tried to speak but couldn't get the words past the massive hoof blocking her windpipe.

When the pinned mare's color began to fade to blue, Applejack spoke. "Mac, lighten up on 'er. I want ta hear what she has to say."

The oppressive hoof pulled back enough for Bon Bon to breathe deeply a couple times and she coughed out the air at first, as if it were poisonous to her lungs. Moments later, the coolness of the air soothed her burning lungs and she weakly spoke. "Yes…hard times. I'm so…sorry."

AJ nodded and slapped the mare across the side of her face. She was still held so all she could do was squeak and shudder. "Coz we are friends, Bon Bon. You have a week. Get the bits or next time…you know what will happen." Applejack truly had had enough of Bon Bon's foolishness. She would pay her in a week or the next time she would die. She had means. AJ knew Bon Bon still had the lyre that her former mare friend had forgotten when she left for a new town. The little bitch would stop sobbing over her bucking mare friend gone away and sell the trinket or she would go to the streets and work on her back for the money. Bon Bon had attached herself to that stupid instrument and was too good to go to the streets, but after being faced with her demise AJ knew she would choose life over ex-lovers or innocence.

The hoof from her throat released and she fell onto the cement floor hard, a rough scrape, but better than being stomped to death. "I…I promise, Applejack. I promise! Next week!" She clawed her way to the door and ran for home as fast as her sore body could muster.

JackSlap sighed with annoyance. "Buck…woulda been a good show, boss."

The cowmare drug lord looked up at her older brother and chuckled with satisfaction. "It'll work. She'll do what she has to now. Now she knows she ain't safe. If she don't have those bits again, she'll have more to worry about than her little broken heart."

"Eeyup."

"We have a problem, Mac. I want you to walk with me." She cast her gaze to the green pony at the door. "Take a hike, JackSlap. This is family business and no leg breaker needs to know about it until yer needed."

The green stallion slumped off in the direction of Ponyville to find someone to torment for a while. People to scare. Money to collect. It was how he passed the time. Work and play were the same for him, not just business.

The Apples watched the green stallion as he descended the hill towards Ponyville in silence. Once he was out of earshot, Applejack turned to her older brother. "Profits are down. Someone else is supplyin' Ponyville with Sweets. I thought we were done with this when we put down the Cloud Kicker gang."

Big Mac recalled the Cloud Kicker gang. The group was so named for their founder and had come from Cloudsdale to set upon the mean streets of Ponyville with a drug they called "Raindrop." Raindrop was a strong hallucinogen that over a short time could bring amazing visions and psychedelic illusions, but also would leave those taking it drooling for the rest of their lives in an asylum if they took too much.

Almost instantly, Sweet Apple Acres had begun losing profits. Moreover, the Apple Family had begun to lose regular customers, permanently, to the mind-altering drug. Vegetables couldn't use Sweets. This was something that could not be tolerated and so, for a year, the Family and the gang had battled in the streets. Many ponies had died, and many examples had been made. Granny Smith had even been kidnapped and her body was never recovered. The fighting had ended when Big Mac, JackSlap, and the bulk of the remaining Family caught the Cloud Kicker's second-in-command alone and removed enough of her skin to prompt her to reveal their hideout's location. With this knowledge, they had descended upon the rival gang with hoofguns, bats, and other tools of the trade. Very few of the Pegasi gang had escaped and now Cloud Kicker's face held a spot of honor on Applejack's wall.

The large red stallion smirked as he remembered crushing Cloud Kicker's legs beneath his weight and the way Applejack had straddled the Pegasus and slowly cut around the screaming mare's jaws and forehead. She had been alive and howling when the flap of flesh that once adorned her skull had been pulled free with a mighty tug. Since then, no one had interfered with the Apple Family's livelihood.

"Eeyup."

Applejack walked slowly down the path that led from the disciplinary building to the barn where all their labs were hidden, not in the barn itself, but underneath, in a cellar redesigned for crafting Sweets from the crops grown right on Sweet Apple Acres. She turned and motioned towards the grove of apple trees that stood just far enough away that none of the bustling workers would be able to hear them.

The two ponies entered the last orchard remaining on the farm. Much of their land had become scarred and unable to bear fruit after a pair of salesponies arrived in town one cider season and issued a challenge to the Apple Family. If their machine could out produce the Apples themselves, then they would take over Sweet Apple Acres. If the twins, Flim and Flam, lost they would never again return to Ponyville.

It had been a hard fight and the twins had been forced to crank their device up to a speed it had not been built to handle. The machine's inner workings had burst and noxious chemicals had begun leaking into the cider it made. Suddenly, the machine had ruptured and a blue liquid had been propelled nearly half a mile into the sky from the massive pressure that had built up in the machine. The Apple Family had prevailed and the salesponies had left town with their broken machine. As the spectators cheered and the celebration began in earnest, nopony had seemed to notice the blue mist that settled upon the hillsides of Sweet Apple Acres.

At first, the Apple Family was happy and business nearly doubled. However, a week later many of the trees in the orchards had begun to die. Soon it became a crisis and nothing could be done despite the Apples' best attempts to heal the dying farm. Within a month, most of the trees were dead and the ones that remained only wilted towards the ground and produced husks.

To avoid losing the farm, they had been forced to find a replacement crop that could yield incredible financial harvests. Rather than lose everything, Applejack had negotiated a deal to obtain one hundred Coca plants. They had built Greenhouses and within a few months had their first crop. Paying the unicorn who taught the family to turn the plants into Sweets had been hefty but, by their second harvest, they had paid their debts and begun to expand.

The apple grove within which they stood was the first that their family had planted when they moved to Ponyville and the only one to survive. Tough and strong like the Family themselves, these trees bore fruit that was always the sweetest and largest. When times were different, these apples had made them the powerful fruit family they had become. The apple trees here were as much family to Applejack as Applebloom or Big Mac. This was where she came to think, surrounded by those she could trust. This was her place of peace. She let out a long sigh and turned to look upon her brother.

A worried expression marred the usually attractive features of her face as she addressed her brother. "We need to take care a this before it gets out of hoof. We ain't had any problems fer quite a while and I don't intend to have any in the near future. We will deal with whoever is responsible and make sure everypony knows the price fer tryin' to take away from the Apples' business."

The stallion only nodded and with a gruff no-nonsense voice grunted, "Eeyup." He looked stern and ready to do what was necessary to protect the Family. The last time had been too much. All the uncertainty and fear had changed him. The Family was the most important thing to him and nothing would put them in such jeopardy again. No matter the cost, Big Mac would protect his family.

Applejack nodded and sat beneath a large tree. Its trunk was scrawled with each and every name of the Apple Family, all circling the Apple motto: "Familia Est Omnia." It was scrawled in ancient Equestrian and, while the words were odd, everypony in the family understood what it meant. Family Is Everything.

Applejack's name sat a few feet above her head. It had been etched by her father into the living bark when she was a filly. Over the years, it had been pushed upward as the tree grew, the names of the first generation high above the youngest. .

Just above her name in a similar etching was Big Macintosh and below them was the last of the Apples, Applebloom. The names around the top of the motto were those of her great grandparents, the ones who had built the farm, the ones who had laid the groundwork for their descendants. Each generation had contributed and added, expanding the farm until it had been left in Applejack's hooves and, instead of seeing it end there, she had taken it a new direction. "Send out the troops. Find out who this new supplier is and let's be done with it."

"Eeyup."

In the tree limbs above Applejack and Big Macintosh sat a fat squirrel enjoying an apple. It had stopped chewing and now intently listened to the discussion that the ponies were having. The furry creature barely even noticed the meat of the apple sparking its miniscule taste buds as it watched and flicked its ears at the ponies, interested.

***  
Twilight Sparkle had been summoned by Princess Celestia for a special assignment. The lavender mare was daydreaming about the possibilities in her spire off from the main body of the castle that overlooked Canterlot's market district. Among the multitudes of books of varying subject matter, she found quite a small amount of room to work. She needed only minimal space because it was only her and Spike, her baby dragon assistant, and she rarely saw anyone else. Twilight was a shut in. She never had parties and only went to the ones she was required to attend and so all the extra space of the impressive spire was dedicated to an equally impressive collection of books that reached to the conical surface. No pony could really call her a friend. She was polite and nice but she rarely said more than a few words to anypony. Other ponies joked behind her back saying her name should have been Book Worm because, as powerful as she was in the ways of mysticism, it was balanced almost perfectly with the amount of studying she did.

She was single-mindedly trying to impress Princess Celestia and retain her place as favored pupil. Having friends was a side note to her because every new book she read on magic, nature, or even the inner constructs of a clock tower increased her knowledge, and knowledge was a strut that supported everything she was. Her inner power had gotten her far but without the intelligence to use a variety of magic spells, it could leave her flat, and one never knew when magically realigning a major spring inside a timepiece might save all of Equestria.

She had been anxiously awaiting the princess' orders and was certain it would be an important task. She was the princess' top student, after all, and wore the honor with a pride that even the Wonderbolts could not match. Whatever the task Princess Celestia had chosen for her, it was, in all probability, urgent for the whole of Equestria. Surely, with all her intelligence and raw magical ability she would be researching new spells that could defend the kingdom from dragon attacks, or discovering a way to reduce parasprite reproduction, or even a cure for Colt Cancer! The possibilities were endless and Twilight's head was floating in the clouds so high that Spike had to wave both hands and jump into her field of vision before she was brought back to reality.

"Hey! Twilight! You didn't even hear a word I said did you?" The purple dragon's green spines were standing a little. He was mildly agitated by the lack of attention he was given when Twilight was pruning her ego.

Twilight's pupils shrank back to normal size as she was brought back to the carpeted room of her spire. She sighed and dipped her head a little in self-reproach. "Sorry, Spike, but you know I've been so excited about getting my assignment. Princess Celestia doesn't take her tests lightly and I've waited for nearly a week for her to call me. Ember Glow and Star Gazer both received their jobs only a couple days after she made her announcement and they are studying the long-term effects of time distortion. Do you know what that means?" She didn't wait for an answer before continuing, "They time travel! I don't even know the last time those spells were used!"

Spike sighed, "They actually send pieces of fruit into the future or the past. For all we know they may be studying new food preservation means. You know, have it later in perfect freshness instead of giving it a chance to rot. I doubt the princess would allow them to really travel in time."

"It's still related, Spike. They are actually using time magic! Maybe I will get to oversee them or have something even better!" Twilight shivered in anticipation at the thought of seeing a future Equestria or visiting past icons of pony history such as StarSwirl the Bearded or actually seeing Luna being banished to the moon. "So what was it you wanted, Spike?"

The dragon shrugged, "Well, I wanted to know what you want to do after you meet with the princess. I could really go for some Topaz. I don't know why, but they have been a craving for me lately and we haven't even gone out and bought groceries since Celestia announced that every student was going to receive a special assignment." He thought for a moment, "Speaking of that, what time are you supposed to go to your audience with her?"

It was almost noon and the realization that Princess Celestia wanted her in her throne room at 12:10 brought forth a gasp so loud that the birds perching on the windowed terrace outside flew away in a panic. While day dreaming Twilight had completely lost track of the time. "Hurry, Spike, we're going to be late! Let's go see the princess! I have to know my task!"

The lavender pony hardly waited for Spike to jump onto her back before galloping at full speed from the spire where she spent the majority of her time studying or researching, inciting a yelp from the dragon as he clutched his claws into the dark purple and pink mane for fear of being thrown from the hasty mare. She bounded out the door and across the walkway of the buttress that held the spire onto the castle proper. Twilight ran so fast that, when they arrived outside the throne room, she had to stop and catch her breath. One did not stand before the princess in shambles. She looked at the clock adorning a nearby wall, 12:08. She had made it.

Twilight was ready for anything. Nothing could or would catch her by surprise or at least not for long. She would be the one called on to correct all possible catastrophes that occurred. Princess Celestia would revere her as her favored student forever and everypony would love her for her brilliance and capability. Whatever task that the princess had painstakingly appointed for her she would rise to and prove, once again, that she was the best and brightest. As she walked into the throne room with a large smile on her face to meet the princess, she truly was ready for anything.

Twilight's jaw had been hanging open almost the entire time Princess Celestia had been speaking. It remained there for some time before Spike, loyal as ever, pushed it back into place. She sat on a tapestry, mouth agape and eyes glazed in what could only be a trance, before Princess Celestia, who was continuing to talk without being heard. The shock was taking a long time to process. Friendship? Is that what Princess Celestia was talking about? The magic of friendship? How could having friends who distracted one from her studies possibly forward the progress of magic? What kind of lowly responsibility was this she was being given? Surely, it was a mistake. Princess Celestia was confused or playing a joke or or…SOMETHING! There could be no possible way this was correct.

She suddenly realized that the princess had stopped speaking and was looking curiously upon her as if she were to be replying. The stunned unicorn mounted a meek argument. "Friendship magic? I…are you sure this is important your Highness? I mean, with all the progress that could be made in other fields, surely the magic of friendship is belittled and better set aside for somepony else. Wouldn't Sprinkle Top be a better choice or anypony other than me?"

Sprinkle Top was a very friendly pony and probably knew more ponies than anyone in Canterlot. She was also not very bright and her magic skills had not developed nearly as far as most other students. Thus, she was the class clown and enjoyed it thoroughly. She was likely going to drop out of classes altogether and take up planning parties before too long.

The pastel haired white alicorn smiled. Her royal nature was kindly and generous; she rarely entered a situation that could raise her ire despite the abrasive way Twilight was responding to the project that Celestia had handpicked for her. "My dear student, while you are capable of almost any task I could choose for you, it has come to my attention that all of your free time is spent in your room."

Celestia grimaced with worry at the lavender unicorn. "You never go out with others or attend any festival or gathering for more time than would be polite. Your sole flaw is the inability to make time for yourself and others around you. This lesson will show you that there is more to life than just studying and the pursuit of knowledge."

The princess allowed a moment for her words to take root before continuing. She wished to address the problem that Twilight had and make it plain before expanding upon it to show the unicorn the value of her decision. "Friendship is a powerful tool. There are times when not even you will be able to solve the problems set before you and, when those times are upon us, it is good to have the ones you care about close to talk to and work with in order find a suitable solution. The magic of friendship is of dire import to each and every one of us. I want you to learn its ways and better yourself."

The alicorn smiled brightly as her pastel hair waved around her head, haloing her beauty in a display of swirling colors. She believed every word she had spoken.

Twilight was dumbfounded. She did not know how Celestia could be serious, but if that was what the princess deemed important then she would set upon it with ravenous passion and finish it as quickly as possible so she could be given a task that was truly up to her abilities. She bowed low on her front hooves and, despite her trepidations, replied, "Yes, Princess, I will complete your request and learn all there is to know about friendship and the magic therein. Thank you, your Highness."

Satisfied, Princess Celestia opened her wings and stood tall to show proper respect for the moment. "Twilight Sparkle, you have accepted this endeavor and I will be awaiting weekly reports upon your findings. We find that sending you to a new location would better suit the progress of your purpose and so we bid you a safe trip to…Hoofington!"


	2. Ascending the Night Sky

Evening had almost arrived and the sky had turned to a slight orange. The sun was beginning its descent from the apex of its daily ritual. Below the spire that Twilight called home, the market ponies were closing their shops and eagerly heading home to be with the ones they loved. Now and again, pegasi would zip upward, climbing in altitude on their way to their own homes in or around Cloudsdale.

Quite a few of the market ponies were pegasi and made the hour commute to the bustling streets of Canterlot to trade goods that were abundant in Cloudsdale but uncommon in other cities. Sometimes when Twilight was feeling down or tired of a particularly boring book, she would sit on her haunches and watch the pegasi dart into the evening sky. She wondered what it would be like to fly and marveled at the air dynamics that each of the winged ponies knew instinctually.

Twilight had flown before, in a balloon that she used when she needed to travel to other places for her studies. While the outcome of such trips was often fruitful, as sometimes seeing the hoof drawn hieroglyphics of ancient pony tribes or the crumbled tower of a once powerful wizard could provide data that books could not, Twilight was all too aware that her method of transportation was not true flying. Never discouraged for long, Twilight did not dwell on her inabilities, but sought ways to overcome them with her talents. The lavender mare had been working on a spell that would levitate her and, to some degree, had achieved it. She had, on a number of occasions, lifted herself a few feet off the ground and slowly eased herself back to a standing position. She had not been willing to try this power out at higher altitudes, such as the descent into the market district after leaping from the pathway that connected the spire to the castle proper. One day she would, but she wanted to be sure of her research before attempting something so dangerous.

As Twilight sat upon a couch on the short patio in front of the spire, not even the darting pegasi could improve her dour mood this afternoon. She released a sigh that bespoke her exact emotions: disappointment, a tinge of anger, and helplessness. Despite the scenery, she could not break from the depression that engulfed her after learning what her "special assignment" was to be. Friendship magic. Please. There were so many more important ways in which her talents could be used. She had never needed friends before and she sure didn't need them now. The only friend she needed was Spike and, when it came right down to it, he sort of belonged to her.

As if on cue, the purple dragon appeared with a daisy sandwich and waddled up to the lavender mare. "Here, Twilight. I know you're down about your assignment, but maybe this will make you feel better." He sat the plate down next to the mare and hopped up to look over the short stone wall that served as railings for the patio and walkway and observe the ponies far below.

The mare nudged the sandwich and levitated it to her mouth, taking a small bite and setting it back on the plate. The flavor of the yellow and white flowers mixed so well with the bread and pesto that Spike had smeared on the top slice. Still, it did little to console her. She swallowed and rolled her head to the side. "Have I been replaced or something? Why would Princess Celestia give me this duty? It's so meaningless. How can this benefit Equestria?"

The dragon didn't turn his head, but kept watching the district below them. "Maybe she wants you to do more than study all day. It does get boring up here and everyone needs to stretch their legs from time to time."

"But studying is what I do. I like to study and learn. The books I'm reading could someday help somepony. Even the smallest piece of information can be useful at the right time and I want to be ready when that time comes. I don't need to stretch my legs that much and, when I do, I want it to be on my own terms, not because of an obligation to another pony."

Spike simply sighed and cast a discerning glance at the mare. "Is that really how you see friendship, Twilight? As an obligation to others and not a beneficial relationship? What about me? Am I just an obligation to you?"

The mare rolled her eyes and sat upward. "You don't understand, Spike. I would never think of you that way. It's just that I don't want to be forced to split my time between studying and frivolous and meaningless chores. You are my assistant and my friend. We do things together; why would I need anypony else?"

"We do things? Like what? I watch you read and I put away the books you finish and organize them by so many different filing systems on a weekly basis that I know every title to your collection. I can tell you what comes first alphabetically, by subject matter, chronologically (forward and backward), by author, or any combination of them. When we perform an experiment, it's strictly business. We never have fun, Twilight…" Something caught his eye and a bright smile lit his scaled face.

A blue and white streak appeared from Canterlot's market district. The blur was going to cross the sky just across from the patio. Spike waved enthusiastically. The blur slowed and the pegasus mare waved back with a smile that stretched wide. She was a pretty pegasus with a teal coat and white mane. Her name was Wing Dancer and she hovered for a brief moment, flapping her wings, before ascending to the height at which the winds were beneficial for her flight back home.

Spike waved his goodbye and shouted, "Bye, Wing Dancer!" He turned back to Twilight and motioned toward the disappearing Pegasus. "Wing Dancer isn't an obligation. I met her when I went shopping for you when you were too busy to go yourself. She's smart and nice and pretty. We went to Donut Joe's and had coffee. She even likes the same donuts as me. We had a good time; that's why I was so late getting home that night. I doubt you even noticed. You don't have any friends, Twilight, and the Princess knows it. Nopony can be a shut-in all the time. She just wants you to go out and find out for yourself how happy being in the company of others can make you feel."

Twilight perked up a little, but was still unsure of the assignment. She was going to go through with it no matter her feelings on the matter, but maybe Spike was right. Maybe the Princess really did know what she was doing. Princess Celestia had never steered her wrong before and Twilight saw no reason for that to be any different now. She had to believe in Princess Celestia's wisdom and maybe, just maybe, she had felt a twinge when Spike had so happily addressed the teal pegasus. "Sorry, Spike. You're right. Maybe my ego was a little out of control. The Princess doesn't make mistakes often and I doubt this is one. She obviously thought about it for a long time. I waited a whole week, after all. Time magic will have to wait." She had stood and held her head high. She was going to root out the magic of friendship and explore its mysteries until she was a master in its arts. Social interactions could, after all, prevent disasters or disputes if executed correctly. Perhaps she would become a diplomat to foreign nations after she displayed her mastery of friendship. There were possibilities and the Princess wanted her to know them. "Let's pack, Spike. Hoofington waits for us. We're going to make friends with everypony there and show the Princess I am up to any task."

The mare rushed into the spire followed by the dragon. Almost instantly, a purple glow churned around the doorway of the stone structure as Twilight conjured her things into carrying devices. Mountains of books and other items shrank and filed into a single suitcase that would accompany the mare to Hoofington.

The balloon was anchored to another platform on the eastern quarter of the castle by a pink and gold rope. The platform was used as a landing zone for visiting diplomats, pegasi, and gryphons. The platform's architecture was polished white marble, adorned with blue and gold. This immediately showcased to visitors the city's culture and extravagance , and most found that it did not take away from Canterlot Castle's beautifully designed architecture.

While not strictly enforced during the long peace Equestria had enjoyed, it was considered polite and proper to descend to this particular circular landing zone rather than simply using any clear area. Those who did not follow proper procedures were looked down upon by many in the kingdom and very few were bold enough to think their importance so great as to overlook the tradition of Canterlot Castle. So, usually, this area was found to be quite busy.

Twilight sat on the marble waiting area with Spike and her suitcase as Royal Guards checked different parts of the balloon for defects or other possible problems. She watched as they checked the pressure of the balloon and the stress on the fabric as it filled to the desired size. The purple fabric was filling well now and was almost at its full state. The fabric was tough and held the gases within with grace and beauty. Anypony looking upon the device could see the time and money spent on its design. It was not a regal vehicle, as there were chariots for that, but still showed the splendor of Canterlot.

Twilight grinned up at the device. She had used this balloon numerous times and was anxious to direct it to a new location. She had never been to Hoofington and hoped that the town would benefit her mission. Already she was lost in thought about what she would do when she arrived. There was so much to be done. Introducing herself to the local magistrate would be her first priority and then to unpack, but after that she could begin her task. She could begin her search for friendship. Twilight was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the Princess coming to see her off.

"Twilight Sparkle." The Princess smiled as the lavender unicorn jumped at her voice. She thought of Twilight as the brightest pupil she had ever known and admired her for the capabilities the unicorn possessed. However, awareness of her surroundings was not one of them. The unicorn was so often lost in thought and completely consumed by her goals, that Celestia had seen that particular jump a number of times. That she could be caught unaware so easily was charming.

"I have come to see you off. I am sure that this challenge will be met and I wish the best for you. I hope that the change of scenery will prompt you to make friends more easily. The ponies of Hoofington will know nothing of you and you nothing of them. It is a perfect way to start a friendship, completely even. Here you are my student and a unicorn of import, but in Hoofington, these titles will neither hinder nor aid the initial impressions you make on others. Your goal will be easier to achieve, I believe, in this manner." The Alicorn stood before the mare; though the wind was calm, Celestia's pastel mane danced as if it were alive. The Princess was the embodiment of Canterlot and her beauty signified the perfection of the city.

Twilight rose from the bow and smiled brightly at her mentor. "Princess Celestia, I will achieve my task and return with vast knowledge about the magic of friendship. As you have wished, I will also write weekly reports to you. I thank you for this opportunity and the wisdom of your teachings. I will not fail you, your Highness."

Celestia nodded and bestowed a smile on Twilight that told of her approval of the unicorn. She was proud of the mare and believed in her. Celestia was shaping the unicorn into a strong leader and a wise wizard. She would do well when her training was over and Celestia had already begun making plans for the magically powerful and intelligent unicorn.

The last guard stepped from the balloon and, after one final check, announced, "The balloon is ready, your Highness."

Celestia nodded to the guard and watched as he stepped aside. She looked upon the unicorn mare and regally spoke. "Goodbye, Twilight Sparkle. May your task prove your place as my favored pupil. I believe in you and wish you a farewell."

Twilight bowed once more on her forelegs and hopped into the balloon with her dragon and suitcase. She smiled brightly and watched as the guards shut the basket door and released the anchor. "Goodbye, your Highness. I will make you proud. Farewell!"

The princess watched her student as the balloon caught the wind and drifted away. Her heart filled with joy. If the unicorn could not find her own friends, then Celestia would help her. She would learn all she needed to and more and return to Canterlot wiser for it. Celestia watched the balloon drift into the evening rays for a long time, thinking of the pride she had for the unicorn. She would do well. She would become somepony special.

Ponyville had not been able to sustain businesses after Sweet Apple Acres nearly collapsed. The local economy suffered until most of the store owners packed up and travelled to bigger cities for fear of bankruptcy. The town had died quickly and only a skeleton remained. Most of the shops sat in disrepair with boarded up windows and peeling paint. The doors of once frequented small businesses now only swung for the homeless, drug peddlers, or prostitutes on a "date."

As time went by, and funding dried up, local government had collapsed, and many of the streets were no longer maintained by town services. Most of the ponies who disposed of garbage and kept the town beautiful lost their jobs and, like most others who decided to linger in their once beautiful home, fell into desperate times. Many turned to vices and families began to fall apart. Theft, drug abuse, and murder rates rapidly inclined as incomes dwindled and ponies turned to less than legal practices to sustain themselves.

The streets had become a danger to single ponies and so they began to group together. Gangs emerged from fear and, before long, neighborhoods turned on those who once were their friends. Ponies were killed for the colors they wore despite their similar situation in life. As friend turned on friend and crime increased, the local Guards became overwhelmed.

The measly Royal Guard force that had been sent from Canterlot to help keep the peace was overwhelmed and, before long, their morale had broken. Much of Ponyville was left to itself as the Guards kept towards the center of town, maintaining the borders of gang territory with a modicum of safety. However, nowhere in town could be said to be truly safe, as shootings and muggings occurred in almost every corner. The lowest income residential areas, which comprised most of Ponyville, were frequently only investigated after the trouble had ended. The Guards had become a clean-up crew for the bodies of fallen gang members and those unfortunate enough to be caught within their disputes. Rarely was an arrest made, except when wounded were left at the scene.

It was in parts of town like this that ponies such as Skank and Pony-C had reached spent their lives. The pair sat on the porch of Skank's old lady's run-down house and passed a bottle of Colt 45, an alcoholic beverage brewed from malt, back and forth. They belonged to the neighborhood gang, the 3rd Street Cappers, and passed the time by getting drunk as the sun disappeared in the distance. Night was almost upon them and they swapped stories about their conquests with mares around town. Each pony was strapped with a hoofgun in case trouble showed up, but they were reclined back on the steps, not expecting trouble tonight. At least not from other gangs.

The wood creaked as Skank's old lady, Cream Puff, flung the door open, the sound of a pair of crying colts spilling from the house. They had been arguing all day about the mare down the street that Skank had been, rightfully, accused of seeing on the side, though he still adamantly denied the claim. The mare had kicked her blue-coated husband out hours ago and now he was back, with a buddy, drinking on the front stoop. Already angered, the sight of Skank and his friend brought new teeth to bear and she lashed out, "Ah, hell no! You're gonna just sit there on your ass with your hoodlum friend while your babies go hungry? You need to get a damn job an' stop wit' this bullshit. Them babies is the only reason I'm stayin' here. My mama was right 'bout you. I have thrown my life in the trash."

Skank turned his head to the mare. Cream Puff had once been beautiful and he had somehow managed to score with her. Of course, it was unprotected and the results of that night were screaming their heads off in a crib in the dirty shack of a home in which they lived. He had, in his defense, owned up to the mistake and stayed with the mare, but she had become fat and stress had made her ugly. Skank saw the mare down the street, Bling Bling, to forget he had a wife who nagged him day and night. "Bitch, I been lookin' all damn week. Ain't no jobs up in this hood. Pony-C been wit me all week lookin' too. We're tryin', baby."

Pony-C, a white pony with black hair and shades agreed, "True that homey. Ain't no jobs up in here."

Cream Puff, a beige mare with a brown mane, rolled her eyes. She had had just about enough of her lazy husband's excuses and far too much of that scummy buddy of his. He could spare money for beer, but not for her and the colts? She wanted to slap him, but held back. Her teeth ground against each other and she yelled at her adulterer husband. "Go see if that whore down the road will give ya somethin' to do! You see her so much, might as well make some bits for your family! Buck you. I'm goin' to get the broom. If y'all are still here when I get back I'm wallopin' ya both!" The door slammed hard as she tromped back into the house.

Skank knew she would and passed the half-empty bottle of Colt 45 back to Pony-C. He stood and motioned toward the street. "Come on, dawg. Let that bitch cool off. I gotta sleep sometime t'night and I don't wan' it to be on that broke-ass couch again." He wanted no more arguments for the day with his old lady and had felt the wrath of her broom enough for this week.

The pair headed towards the end of their neighborhood, a collection of run-down homes lining both sides of a dirt road that ended, on one side, with a dirty playground (where any amount of colts and fillies played during the day but any amount of illegal substances or activities could be bought at night), and a convenience store at the other. The duo slowly made their way towards the store, passing the bottle between them, until, as they stepped into the light of the building, they had emptied it and tossed the glass against the wall.

Pony-C was broke and hoped for more beer from Skank. He looked expectantly to his friend. "Buyin' another bottle, bro?" He was hopeful that Skank would splurge because of the scolding he had just received.

Skank checked his bit supply. Three bits. Buck. Not enough for filly-food and beer. He thought hard on what to do. He couldn't possibly go back home with nothing to show for it except another beer. He could either bide his time drinking somewhere else and head home when the fun was finished or he could buy the damn food and get that fat mare off his back for the night. After a few moments, he made his mind up. Beer now, fat bitch later.

They had bought another Colt 45 and were walking their way to Pony-C's house. He lived with his mother, but she had a night job in the center of Ponyville cleaning a lawyer's office and would be gone until nearly dawn. Pony-C spent his days wandering from friend to friend and helping them use up whatever they were using to keep their party going. He never had bits and jobs were not his thing. Occasionally he would obtain small amounts of illicit substances for ponies working for Applejack and earn a few bits and enough Sweets to have fun for the night, but he mostly used his friends for his fix. "Gotta make some bits, homey. Got to party again soon. I think I can get in touch wit that JackSlap punk again and maybe sell some Sweets. Probly take a few day tho'. You're welcome to crash at my place 'til then. Keep that old bitch o' yers offa yer back."

Alcohol was a funny thing. It could make Skank feel like real shit for cheating on his wife and spending all his money on vices like beer. He had grown quiet after they emptied the second bottle. He had to make money tonight. Had to buy his colts the food they needed. Had to shut that bitch up and give her a night to remember. He loved her once and wanted to love her again. If she'd just shut that bucking mouth long enough to let him tell her what he thought. He didn't want his colts to hate him when they grew up because he hadn't provided for them. He regretted buying the beer and wished he could do it over, but he couldn't. "Buck that, Pony-C. We gonna make that money t'night. Know anyone we can rob? Is that fancy pants fag Swizzle Stick out at the clubs t'night?"

"How the buck am I sposed ta know where dat pole greaser is?" Pony-C had known Swizzle Stick since they were colts. They had been best friends once, but the ponies in the neighborhood had started calling his friend names and he had stopped talking to him…in public at least. He still saw Swizzle Stick often, but in private. Behind his shades, his eyes shifted nervously.

"Buck it, I don't wan' know what he keeps in his drawers or closet. There's gotta be another way ta make that money." Skank was lost in thought when something caught his eye in the night sky, something that looked expensive and floated just low enough to the ground to be within hoofgun range.

"Yeah and what way be that?"

"Right there."

Pony-C followed Skank's eyes to the thing wafting through on the night's breeze. It looked fancy. Its parts could sell for lots of bits. The white pony lifted his shades to discern what this thing was.

A travelling hot air balloon with a lone passenger.

Twilight and Spike had ridden the air currents from Canterlot as the night descended upon them. The purple mare watched the stars twinkle and the moon shine. She, once again, had become lost in thought and was making plans on how to acquire friends in Hoofington. She was full of hope for her mission and the night's sky was so clear that she easily had been entranced under its gaze.

The balloon had begun to descend, lower and lower, as she watched, the heavens play out another theatre of shooting stars and night magic. She hadn't noticed the creeping descent and Spike was too short to look over the edge of the basket to see for himself. They were well above the buildings of Ponyville and no danger of crashing into any other tall structures, pony-made or natural, but they had come barely below the altitude of what was known as safe ballooning.

It wasn't until a pair of loud pops came from below the balloon that she realized how low they were flying." What was that, Spike? Did you hear that?" the startled unicorn exclaimed.

Spike nodded and had to pull himself up by the wooden traveling box's edge to get his head over enough to look. "I don't know, Twilight, but we're pretty low.

She looked over the basket and saw nothing out of the ordinary, just a town, much too close. "We need to fill the balloon. We're far too low. That's why we heard whatever that was from that town." She began to pull the cord that operated the machine that filled the material of the balloon, but soon discovered that they were still descending. "What's wrong? It should have begun taking us back into the sky, not down."

Spike climbed to the edge of the basket and held tightly to one of the ropes that held the basket to the balloon. He leaned out and saw two holes in the side of the struggling balloon. He gasped, "Twilight! The balloon has sprung a leak! It's not going to be able to take us up. We'll have to find a safe place to land it and then contact the Princess. She'll send someone to patch it up, I'm sure."

Another pair of pops and the balloon sagged heavily, shaking the passengers and almost throwing Spike from the basket altogether. The balloon could not support the weight of the basket now and the slow drift downward became a fast descent. They weren't quite falling, but it would be a rough landing nonetheless.

Spike jumped back to the basket floor and covered himself, tucking his tale under his body. He shivered and sounded somewhat panicked. "What do we do, Twilight?"

The lavender unicorn dropped to the floor as well and moved right up against her dragon assistant. "It's okay, Spike. Just hold on. We'll land hard when we do, but we should be fine."

The balloon had been damaged too much and the gaps between the holes suddenly ripped from the stress of the basket's weight. The balloon, still a couple thousand feet in the sky, deflated as if it had received a blow from a giant. The vehicle, no longer able to support its flight, fell like a stone.


	3. Meet and Greet

Chapter 3

The basket almost shattered on impact. Pieces splintered off and sprang away as the wicker vehicle tumbled end over end down the hillside. Its contents spilled out as it bounced off and snapped the lifeless trees of the corrupted orchard. The basket left chaos in its wake as it rolled, plowing up the infertile earth in great divots that exploded into showers of stones, roots, and soil. The basket careened against a tree, splintering the dead body and continuing its rampage down the hillside. Finally, the basket's wave of destruction came to an abrupt halt against a large stone with a sound like a gunshot. Most of the vehicle was mangled and broken, spread out all along the hillside, its path strewn with the corpses of husked trees. Nothing living could have survived the fall, much less the rolling disaster afterward.

Twilight Sparkle was slowly descending to the ground in a purple glow as her heart began its own descent from her throat to its rightful place in her chest. She had wanted to try out the levitation spell she had been studying, but not like this. She liked controlled environments, not dangerous ones.

She looked back at the dragon on her back. Spike was stunned, eyes bulging at the devastation that had occurred to the basket of the balloon in which they had been riding just a few moments before. His claws were dug in so deeply that the mare's skin had almost been punctured. Apparently, the gravity of the situation hadn't set in yet for either one of them because she didn't seem to notice. "Twi…Twilight. The basket is all over the place. We were in it. We could have…we WOULD have died if you didn't use your magic."

Twilight's breath had nearly returned and, upon settling in between her lungs, her heart began to beat again. Her mind also begun to react and after only a few seconds she replied, "Yeah…did you see…what…happened?"

"I heard popping noises and then the balloon opened up. I thought the Guards checked everything? How could they have missed something like that? We should talk to Celestia about this. I could have been a greasy spot in that grove of trees." The dragon was furious after the near death experience. He looked down from Twilight's back, the ground slowly coming closer.

"The Guards always do a thorough check. I guess they could have just missed it, but I think something else happened. I think somepony may have popped our balloon." She snorted and thought back to what she had seen.

They had been flowing along the currents of the night air towards Hoofington. She remembered looking down and noticing the town of…Ponyville, was it? Anyway, a town closer than it should have been. They had been floating over a somewhat wooded area just on the outskirts of the town when she heard some loud pops and the balloon began to sink. During their attempt to prepare for an emergency landing, she had heard those pops again, after which the balloon had rapidly begun to descend. After a loud whoosh, this descent had turned into a freefall. By instinct, she had quickly grabbed Spike and used her magic, unsure if it would even work.

Spike released his grip on the mare and scanned the local area for signs of life. They still had several hundred feet to go and wanted to spot a safe place to land. "On purpose? Who would do something like that? There, Twilight. I see a clearing near the crash site."

Twilight sighed and began to drift the pair towards the small opening in the dead orchard. The limbs of the trees reaching out like bony claws and neither of the floating passengers wanted to tangle in their grasp. "I don't know, Spike. It had to have been an accident. Maybe some foals were playing with slingshots and didn't mean to, but did, shoot us down."

"Well at least they sent a rescue party pretty fast." The dragon pointed with his claw at a pair of earth ponies lifting the broken basket back right side up and searching the inside for what was left.

"Thank Celestia, maybe they can help us get cleaned up and help us contact the Princess." Twilight was relieved that the ponies had shown up so quickly and brought them in for a soft landing only a short walk away from where the earth ponies were rummaging the wreck.

"Daaaaamn, Skank. It's all busted," Pony-C, a white earth pony with a black mane and still wearing sunglasses, though it was now dark, remarked to his friend. The pony rummaged through the broken basket and tossed out pieces of what had once been the door and the straps that bound the balloon to it, to come to rest in a small pile. He could still make some bits from what remained, but had not expected the vehicle to go to pieces on impact as it had. He wore mixed emotions on his face and continued to dig in the ruins.

Skank was busy looking over the rubble that had flown loose from the vehicle during its rough landing. The pickings were slim so far and he was unhappy about it. "Yeah, I see that. We gotta get goin' soon. You know where this is, don'cha?" The large blue stallion had been feeling guilty over drinking his money away and not supporting his wife and children as well as he could and the balloon had been a perfect target to make some bits. Even in this wreckage, they could salvage enough of the Canterlotian material to sell at the local broker. Skank liked their broker. He never asked where the items they sold came from or how they acquired them.

"Buckin' forest. This the edge o' the Everfree or sometin? Is that why you sound so jumpy? I got m'piece still. That's all I need. Dragons an' Monsters don' dare come after this pony." The white pony puffed up as though he were made of steel.

"Naw, this is Apple territory. Used ta' be part of the orchard. They probably'll be out lookin' soon. The racket this thing caused as it broke down all them trees was bound to alert somepony workin' for them bitches." The stallion looked at the devastation. "You see the driver? I s'pect they'd be all over the place after that."

The white pony in shades shrugged and lifted a large piece of framework from the wreckage and added it to a pile of salvage he had accumulated. He didn't really care what happened to the driver of the vehicle, although the thought of a Canterlot bitch being scattered across the forest made him chortle.

He was only interested in the profit and not the fate of the driver. The profit these scraps brought would keep him in drugs for a while. Lots of Sweets and lots of beer. He would settle in good and get high for a few days. Life was going to be sweet for the rest of the week.

"I'm right here. I'm okay. I used my magic to slow the fall for me and my assistant here." Twilight had only caught the last little bit of their conversation and while she had not been thrilled to hear the blue one describe his expectations of where her body would have been, chocked it up to the on-scene ponies seeing many crash sites and other accidents. The ponies who could deal with death on a daily basis had to be used to such scenes. She breathed out a deep sigh of relief as the two earth ponies looked up and at her and Spike. "We are so appreciative of how quickly the two of you came to the scene of the accident. Dedication like that is why you both have such jobs. Thank you both."

Skank and Pony-C looked at each other and chuckled, before going back to their salvaging. They had judged the mare and her dragon companion quickly and found no threat there. Canterlot bitches were stuck-up and knew nothing of how the streets worked. They wanted to get their rewards and get out before the Apples came to investigate. For the moment, they left the dumb unicorn to her assumptions and ignored her.

Confusion ran down Twilight's face and she looked at Spike for a moment in quandary. The dragon only shrugged in response and she moved a little closer towards their rescue party. "Soooo…we were the only ones aboard and we're not injured. Are there any others who can clean this up while you take us somewhere to contact Canterlot?"

The pair just kept ignoring her. Social awkwardness was one thing, but ignoring her was downright rude. Maybe they knew she had caught them talking about where her corpse should have been and were embarrassed. That was probably it. They were ashamed and didn't want to look her in the eye. Her expression changed to one of understanding and a little pity. It really must be hard on them. "I understand, guys. It's okay, I'm not mad that you were umm…joking a little. You don't have to be embarrassed about it. I'm sure you've both seen a lot with your jobs."

"Ka-bucking-ching!" The blue pony that had been scouring the debris from the wreckage came up with a suitcase in his hooves. He held it aloft for a moment before using a piece of deflated balloon to wrap his salvage into a sack. At that moment in the distance, they heard the barking of a dog. It sounded angry. It sounded big. It sounded like Winona.

The White pony with sunglasses whooped, "Yeeeeaah, colt! Let's get gone, homey." He hastily tore at the fabric of the balloon and followed suit in making an impromptu sack. Twilight still didn't understand exactly what these two were doing and watched them begin to cart pieces of the wreckage away. Casting an eye to Spike in a manner that said, "I don't know," she began to follow them, rushing to catch up. She assumed they were finished and were leading her to a nice safe building where she could regroup after the harrowing event and sleep. In the morning, she would send a message to Celestia and within the day would be back on her travels.

Skank heard the mare catching up to them and quickly turned on her, the heavy sack of salvage on his back. He had figured the mare would understand soon enough that they weren't there to help her but sometimes ponies were slow to understand. He let her get within a few steps and violently turned on her, glaring daggers. "Bitch, you best be steppin'. We ain't here ta help you. You stupid or somethin'? Get goin' or you gon' make me slap a hoe."

Twilight skidded to a halt and gasped. Nopony had ever spoken to her in such a manner and it took a moment to cut through the delusion that the pair was going to aid her. She couldn't believe how rude they had been and, worse yet, they were taking parts of the wreckage for their own benefit. They didn't care that she and Spike had almost died. They were vultures. If they had come across her corpse, they would have only searched it for valuables. They were thieves! Nothing but bandits, come to take advantage of an accident. An accident that had nearly killed her. Twilight, normally level headed and pleasant, felt anger so poignant that she lost herself in the mind-bending rage for a moment. Confronted with a situation she had never expected, she targeted the sack that the filthy white stallion was carting away as her temper flared.

Spike, who had been silently watching, almost equally as deluded at first, now stood in shock. There was silence for a moment and the blue stallion turned to leave with his friend and their vultures' bounty. His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to say something mean and hurtful to the ponies about their manners and their addressing of a student of the Princess' when it happened. For a moment, Twilight's mane stood up angrily and she seemed to breathe fire. Spike had never seen her in such a way and her anger extinguished his own as the lavender mare released the hot pressure building inside her.

Magic tore from the horn of the lavender unicorn. It twisted in the air of the night and grasped the bag from the blue stallion like a monstrous claw. The magic ripped the stallion backward and the sack exploded in a shower of basket weavings, colorful tapestry, and the contents Twilight's suitcase. The mare had lost it and the anger had flown from her like a demon. They would NOT have her things. These ghouls would not make bits from her misfortune.

Unfortunately, Twilight was not prone to fits of rage and as quickly as it has taken hold, it released its grasp upon her. The mare brought her front hooves up to her mouth and gasped at what she had done. She had never lost her temper before and it had frightened her. She hadn't meant to hurt anypony. She hoped the blue stallion was okay. She looked from the downed stallion to his white friend. For a moment, nothing happened, but then the large blue stallion rolled to his hooves, pulling a hoofgun.

Skank had been thrown to the ground. It had hurt, but much worse than that, a Canterlot mare had done it. He would have to do something or Pony-C would spread the word to the rest of the 3rd Street Cappers, and they would call him a punk bitch. He couldn't let that happen. He was angry, but the shame he would endure would follow him forever if he didn't do something now. This mare had tried to ruin him. He started to lose it. His rationality flew to the wind as quickly as Twilight's had, but his temper wasn't the worst of it. He could get cruel and stay cruel.

He glared at the unicorn and saw more than just a mare. He saw his wife, nagging him and calling him a cheat and a bad father. It didn't matter if it were true or not. He had had enough of it and this little purple shit was going to pay not only for what she had done to him, but also for the trap in which his wife had him. He would make her pay for the situation in which he had ensnared himself.

"Bitch, done bucked up bad." Skank closed the distance between them and grabbed the dark mane of the mare, yanking her to her back legs and shoving the gun into her cheek. "Real bucking bad. Gon' blow that face all to hell." His forelegs were strong from a life of crime and, even as she squirmed, he held her tightly. She couldn't escape. He was going to teach this Canterlot broad a lesson she wouldn't forget.

"Oh no you don't!" Spike, seeing his friend in dire trouble, set his feet and launched at the large pony. For a moment, he was airborne and imagined himself grabbing the stallion and biting his arm. He would drop the gun and Spike would breathe flames into the face of the scoundrel, stunning him long enough to free Twilight and the two of them could run into the forest to safety. He would be a hero and Twilight would hug him and tell him he was brave and strong and courageous and…

The big stallion's hoof caught the leaping Spike in the stomach, producing a small draft of flames as the air was forcibly expelled from the small dragon's lungs. He fell to the ground and fought to breathe in the cool air. His lungs just didn't seem to want to follow directions as he rolled across the grassless earth, gasping. The helpless dragon coughed and gagged out sickly noises, holding his stomach.

Pony-C came to his friend. "Hey hey, bro…don't hurt her. They's all kinds of things we can still use her for." The white stallion smirked lecherously at Skank and a creeping grin explained what he was thinking. "I always wanted ta' see what it was like in the sack with a Canterlot prude. Let's drag her outta here and find a nice place wit' her."

Skank didn't go for the kind of things about which Pony-C was hinting. He just wanted to hurt the mare, to make her pay. He snorted loudly and twisted the barrel of the gun against Twilight's cheek. Through the barrel, he could feel the teeth on the other side of the mare's cheek as he pressed the gun tightly to her. Skank's emotions twisted his expression into grotesque contortions as he stared through, not at, the terrified mare. It was all his wife's fault. His wife ran his life and made him feel like shit. Mares, in general, made stallions feel like shit. He might not be able to shoot his wife, but he could sure as hell shoot this prudish Canterlot bitch. The gun pressed so hard into Twilight's cheek that the skin around the barrel had blanched. Twilight's involuntary whimper of pain snapped Skank back into the moment. He made up his mind and pulled back on the firing mechanism. "Buck that, Pony-C. This bitch goes down right here."

A brown blur suddenly broke up the situation. Seemingly from nowhere, came Winona at a full charge. She lunged onto the big blue stallion, digging her teeth deeply into Skank's foreleg. The sound of the Collie's teeth shredding meat was sickening as she twisted and jerked on the large stallion's leg. He screamed, the hoofgun flying from his grasp as the canine made contact with the ground, teeth still locked in flesh, and used her powerful haunches to yank the large blue stallion down, which forced him to release the lavender unicorn.

Twilight had had a very hard day and the shock from what had occurred sent her into a faint. The poor mare passed out and fell to the ground with a small thud. She lay motionless, her nerves pushed far past what she had ever dealt with before. Her body put itself into a sleep so her subconscious mind could deal with the stressful situation.

Of all the tools Applejack had at her disposal, her favorite was Winona. Winona had been one of the most reliable friends she had ever had in the old days and when everything went south, she had proved to be as reliable as ever. She loved Applejack and had done everything she could to help her master..

When times got tough, every member of the Apple Family had learned hard lessons about life. One of Winona's lessons was that loyalty and sacrifice for those you loved was painful. Forsaking her happy upbringing and gentle nature, she had been forged in blood and sand to become a champion in the underground dog fighting pits. She had become a savage beast with only one purpose: to help Applejack in any way she could. This taught her a second lesson, that the life of those who were not her masters was cheap. Helping her beloved master usually meant tearing other dogs to pieces in the basement of some abandoned building while many ponies cheered, cursed, and gambled. Other times, it meant attacking Applejack's enemies. If it hadn't been for Winona's fierce loyalty and prowess in the ring in those tough early days, the farm would have been lost.

Skank howled in pain as Winona yanked back ferociously on his leg. He could feel skin tearing every time the dog jerked him. The pain was unbearable and his voice careened in crescendo, "Buckin' KILL this thing, Pony-C! Hurry!"

Pony-C, stunned by the turn of events registered his friend's words slowly and went for his hoofgun. How did things go from making bits to bringing a snob down a peg to watching his friend get his leg shredded? The gun came out and he aimed down the barrel at the growling dog's midsection.

"If ya shoot mah dog, Ah'm liable to get mad." Applejack stood some thirty feet away with a double-barreled shotgun pointed directly at Pony-C's head. She looked pissed. Her eyes narrowed over the sights of the shotgun and she smirked a full grin of venom at the white stallion. "Ah almost want'cha to shoot her. Ah get mighty antsy about unwelcome visitors here on the farm. Pryin' that ugly head of yours off with buckshot might make me feel better."

Pony-C's gun bounced against the fruitless earth as he threw his forelegs above his head. He was only confident when things were in his favor. A weak unicorn was one thing; Applejack was another. There was no way he was going to make things worse for himself by disobeying her. She was not only a maniac, but also one who had power. No pony in the ghetto would dare cross the Apple Family. Everypony had heard the rumors of what happened on the farm. Ponies went missing when they crossed Applejack, and then there was her "collection"... "Please…We din't mean nothin'. We jus' wanted to make some bits from this here balloon. We din't want troubles wit' you Apples!" His voice cracked from the stress as he pled for his life.

Applejack grinned to herself. She cast her eyes on her faithful dog, and then to the nearby soil, which was turning black as it greedily consumed the blood that poured down the injured pony's leg. She had grown to enjoy watching the pain of those who dared to provoke her. As the soil ate up the crimson liquid, she devoured the cries of anguish from the big blue stallion. She let the dog pull meat from bone for a few moments longer.

"Is that so? When why in tarnation didja trespass on Apple Family lands if ya didn't want trouble? Ah think ya knew whatcha were doin' and didn't care." She toyed with the stallion in sunglasses. Big Mac and a couple others of the Family had joined Applejack now. "Ah think ya wanted ta show off what big balls ya have. Ya wanted to come here an' spit on Apple Family ground. What do ya think, Big Mac?"

"Eeyup," replied the largest of the apple family. Big Mac was of few words in the best of moods, but now, he looked furious. Nopony EVER came onto his family's land. This blatant trespassing was a curious business. Why would these two openly mock Apple privacy knowing what would likely happen to them? They were up to something. Or they were stupid. Big Mac aired on the side of caution. "Up ta somethin', AJ."

The orange mare in the old Stetson hat nodded. "That's what Ah think too, Big Mac. What are ya tryin' ta do here, steal somethin'? Kill somepony? Are you an assassin, ya slimy hedgehog?" Applejack knew better, but wanted to torment the stallion. His stupidity echoed in his vacant stare.

Skank screamed before Pony-C could answer, "Jus' tryin' ta make bits from this rich bitch! Get yer dog! Please! It's killin' me!" His leg would never heal completely. Winona had crushed nerves and split ligaments. He would have only limited use of that leg for the rest of his life.

Applejack glared at the wounded pony and anger painted her words, "Ah didn't ask YOU did Ah? Harder, Winona!" The dog obeyed bit down harder upon the foreleg trapped in her jaws. The crunch of bones echoed in the wastes of the orchard followed quickly by frantic screams.

"PLEASE! We jus' needed money and saw that unicorn flyin' in the balloon. We didn't know she'd land here when we shot her down. We jus wanted ta make some bits!" Pony-C was close to panic. His friend's screams froze what little confidence he had left. His bladder emptied before the group and he fell to the ground. "We jus' wanted ta party. Don't kill us."

Applejack smirked to her brother, Big Mac. She had control of the situation. She liked the feeling of power and wanted Big Mac to enjoy what she had made the pathetic stallion do. She still wanted to scare him some more and winked at Big Mac as she spoke, "You were gonna rape that purple mare. Ah heard what ya said. Is that what big boys like you do? Catch weak little mares and force yerselves on 'em? Ya want to do that to me? Ah'm a mare. Ya think you can just take whatcha want from us?"

Pony-C's sunglasses fell off as he jerked his head up, pupils dilated in fear and sweat making his coat stick together. "NO! I'd never do that. I was jus'…jokin'. Ya'know. I didn't want Skank to think I was soft. I wouldn't ever touch…"

"Cut his junk off, Mac."

Big Mac took out a small pocketknife and flipped the blade open as he stepped, painfully slowly, towards the frightened stallion. He kicked the stallion onto his back, busting his mouth and nostrils with the mighty blow. Big Mac leaned down with the knife.

Applejack spoke up, "So, does he have big balls? He came here to show them off. Are they as large as he wants us to believe?"

"Nope." Big Mac's eyes never left the terrorized pony. They were deep pools of remorseless horror. Big Mac had done things, atrocious things, and never once regretted them. His eyes were soulless. They were emotionless, dead. Nothing would faze him and Pony-C could identify his own painful death under the tyranny of those eyes. The knife brushed his junk and he let out a whimper.

"Then he's not worth our time. Let'em head back ta Ponyville." Applejack mused, a grin plastered on her face. She loved it. She wanted to send this pair back as a warning to those who would trespass on Apple ground.

Pony-C sighed a deep breath of relief as the giant red stallion removed the blade and took those evil eyes from him. He was going to go home. He would see his mother again. He would see Swizzle Stick again, in private of course.

"…but make sure he remembers not ta come back." This was the part that Applejack wanted to see. She watched as the white pony looked betrayed and started to beg just as Big Mac's hoof came down directly between his legs, making a satisfying crunch. Applejack hated rapists. She had never been pushed around in her life, but the idea of being forced into…such acts sickened her. She could only think of Apple Bloom. She was innocent…weak. That white stallion would have taken advantage of her sister because he could. He was going to take advantage of this unicorn. He didn't deserve to live, but he would. The white pony had built a fire inside of Applejack that only blood could extinguish. Yes, she would let them live, but they would regret ever coming to Sweet Apple Acres and the little would be rapist would never quite "function" the same way again.

After the pair was released to drag themselves back to the holes from which they had crawled, the Apple Family looked over the unicorn mare and baby dragon. Neither appeared to have any serious wounds, but both were unconscious. They had been oblivious to the blood and pain that went on around them. Sleeping through the screams and cries, they were infants to the streets. Newborns experiencing the pain of life in Ponyville in small drops instead of torrents.

Big Mac motioned to them and raised an eyebrow. His expression said it all. A Canterlot mage and a dragon here in Sweet Apple Acres? Why had they been so close to their land? They paid good bits to be left alone by the local law enforcement and there had been a no-fly rule over Sweet Apple Acres since the incident. For whom did they work? Why were they interested now?

Applejack wore a serious look. She had been asking herself the same questions. She and Big Mac had always thought alike when it came to the Apple Family. The future of Sweet Apple Acres might be at risk if Canterlot was stepping into their business. They had to ask questions, violently if need be. They had survived before and would survive again, but they had to know with whom and what they were dealing.

"Bring'em big brother. We'll find out what they're doin' here."


	4. CupCakes: So Sweet and Tasty

Chapter 4

Of the many businesses that had failed in Ponyville, Sugarcube Corner was among the last. The previous owners, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, had one of the best reputations in all of Ponyville. They had always done well with their confectionaries no matter the type. Cakes, Pies, pastries of all sorts, and especially cupcakes all were the epitome of sweet snacks. Everypony in Ponyville had at one time or another tasted the sweet buttery deliciousness that was the treats of Sugarcube Corner. Most ponies would frequent the establishment on a regular basis and the business had even thrived for a short time after the economy had begun to slip. For six years after the Sweet Apple Acres incident, the sweets shop on the corner had struggled to withstand crumbling government, social dilapidation, and economic crisis. For six long years, the Cakes and their assistant, Pinkie Pie, had baked fresh treats for the ponies of Ponyville, holding out hope that things would get better.

Eventually, however, the growing instability had begun to take its toll. Money was drying up and fewer and fewer customers could afford to buy the delicious treats being baked daily. Over time, with Sweets addictions becoming more and more prevalent, the legal sweets of Sugarcube Corner had begun to be thrown out rather than bought. As a result, the basic upkeep of the building had become too much for the talented bakers, who were forced to cut corners. Small repairs to the building were overlooked or patched up with homemade methods. The building did without a fresh coat of paint when the time came and leaks in the roof were ignored. The exterior had faded and here and there, a loose plank hung broken. Some hoodlum had even spray painted the words "Buck Celestia" across the back of the building in large swooping designs, which while artistic, were crude and an eyesore.

Then the crime had begun. After being open for two decades and never having had so much as an argument within its walls, the shop had been robbed thrice in half a year. With each robbery, the perpetrators had taken less money, but had stolen much more. The thieves had stolen the hopes of the bakers. It had gotten to be too much. Their happy town had changed. The ponies whom they used to serve and with whom they used to share smiles and happy conversations had become cold and bitter. They had become Sweets addicts, prostitutes, and thieves.

Despite the steady decline in business, the Cakes had attempted to weather the drought. However, their town had changed too much. They wanted to have foals, but the crime and loss in finances made that prospect less and less likely. The couple had discussed their situation and made a decision. Manehattan was still a bustling metropolis and they had the bits put back to start again. After a hard battle with slumping profits and many years of dedicated service, the shop had closed down.

The Cakes had offered Pinkie Pie the chance to come with them and to start over. They loved her. They treated her as their own daughter and they wanted her to be with them in a new town with fresh faces and pleasant ponies. To give up what they all remembered of their doomed home and try again somewhere else. To their chagrin, the pink earth pony had rejected their offer. She was bouncy and happy and remembered too well what this place used to be. If she only tried harder, if she could throw enough parties, she could turn the tides of depression and sorrow. She believed she could with all her might and, with tears in her eyes, had watched her family leave. She felt as though she were the last beacon of happiness in this sad town. A candle in the night. She would resuscitate this town's joy and bring it back to happier times! She could do it!

In a final show of affection, the Cakes had left Sugarcube Corner to Pinkie Pie when they went away and she had happily continued to bake small batches of treats for other ponies. She made enough to survive, but meagerly. Pinkie had spent what little extra money she had on a string of parties for anyone who wanted to attend. Pinkie knew everypony in Ponyville and had made sure that they had all been invited. She couldn't afford snacks, but the music was still blaring and the games still in full effect. To the pink pony's dismay, the ponies who had showed up weren't interested in games. They'd gotten drunk, used drugs, or sometimes both and fights had broken out. The first couple of parties had just been excuses to snort, shoot, or smoke illicit substances. The ponies didn't want to see their friends. Their friends had become their enemies out of greed and crime. She had been forced to watch those she once called friends turn on each other and fight.

She had finally given up and stopped throwing parties after four ponies of the Buckers gang and six of the Kruds had pulled hoofguns, leaving three dead and several more injured. The three who died hadn't even been in gangs. They had been unfortunate bystanders. The gang members hadn't wasted a thought on anypony's welfare before they started shooting and that didn't change as the hapless ponies had laid bleeding and dying on the floor, balloons and confetti floating in the air around them.

At that moment, the weight of the world had crushed Pinkie Pie. She had realized that nopony could be safe. She had tried to bring them together for fun and games, but they had still only wanted illegal fun and murder. It was hard to see the ponies you loved kill each other for no more reason than the colors they wore. Pinkie Pie blamed herself for the deaths that night and decided she would never throw another party. Her poufy pink hair had fallen flat that night and had never recovered, just like her mood. The outgoing happy Pinkie Pie had died.

If she couldn't make them happy anymore, Pinkie had decided that she would just live out her days where she had been happiest. She had silently returned to Sugarcube Corner to grieve for the town and all the ponies she used to know. She would stay here with them, remembering how it used to be and hoping it would return someday. She felt she had to stay. She could go to Manehattan, but this was where her friends were. This was where she was supposed to be. Maybe someday things would get better, and when they did, Pinkie would be there to show them how to smile again.

That had been four years ago. Today, Sugarcube Corner looked abandoned and uncared for. The roof was sagging and the bright colors that once adorned the building had become dull and dead. Many of the windows were boarded up and a couple showed only shards of dirty glass where a full pane once existed. All of the windows had thick iron bars on the outside. Graffiti covered the majority of the outside walls from different gangs that had claimed the territory over time. Now and again, a circular opening that could only have been caused by a bullet dotted the building.

Pinkie Pie still lived within the structure, but like the shop itself, had undergone a change for the worse. For several years, she had succumbed to the knowledge that the outside world was a ghost of its former self. Nothing could ever be the same. Her friends had changed into cruel jokes of what they had once been. Desperation had gotten the better of them and turned them into monsters. She couldn't live in that world. She had always been bright and happy, but the sadness wouldn't let her go. She couldn't face the town as it was and being alone was almost worse. She gave in to the melancholy and accepted that she would never again feel joy or throw a party. She would never dance with her friends or giggle at jokes meant to lift spirits.

Slowly, the party pony had stopped pitying those ponies and, instead, had begun to hate them. They had given up on happiness in favor of vices and immorality. Alone, secluded from the others by choice, the pink earth pony had sunk into depression. Without other ponies around to cheer up and make smile, she had been unable to do so for herself. Sorrow had become depression and depression birthed dark thoughts. The once jovial pony submitted to those ideas born from grief. What had she done to deserve this? Nothing. They were the ones who had balked in a time of need, not her. She had only wanted to help them and they had turned her gleeful pastime into a blood bath.

She hated them. They had ruined her life. If she could profit from their miseries then she would. Time had not only crushed her spirit, but also warped her into that which she had been trying to fight. She had become darker, just like them. Pinkie Pie had begun studying how to create drugs from household chemicals and, over short few months, had nearly perfected it. They wouldn't buy her cupcakes and pies, but she knew the Ponyville scum would buy her new creations.

Pinkamena, she never called herself Pinkie anymore, took a small square cake of pink powder and crushed it into a fine pile with her hoof. Excitedly she formed thin lines and snorted the pink powder into her nostrils. She felt the burn sweep through her head as if her brain was catching fire. She leaned her head back with a grimace, flat pink hair falling around her face. The powder was mixing with the wetness of her sinuses and she coughed weakly as it drained down the back of her throat, spreading the burning sensation. The heat felt good, it burnt her body to set her soul free. She didn't quite smile, but grinned in a sickly manner. Her eyes squeezed tightly and a tear rolled down her cheek as the burning drugs rushed through her system.

The pink pony fell to her back on the dirty tile floor littered with drug- making apparatus. Her eyes remained closed as she waited patiently for the images to begin rolling through her mind. This wasn't anything new for Pinkamena. Since she was a filly, she had seen things the other ponies didn't. She hadn't minded, though—they were happy, bright, and colorful things that had always made her giggle in delight. The other ponies hadn't minded, either. They had just enjoyed the benefits—the old Pinkie's bubbly attitude and relentless pursuit of fun. Pinkamena, however, didn't see those images anymore unless she was high and then they were twisted versions of themselves. What had once been visions of friendship and laughter were now mutations of happiness writhing and prancing about her vision, beckoning her to join them in their twisted gyrations.

Mourning was for the weak and Pinkie would not be weak again. In many ways, the loss of those childish thoughts of friendship and loyalty had forged a stronger version of herself. Pinkamena was strong, tough, and the darkness that enveloped her life only sharpened the razor's edge that she had become. Now, in many ways, she was like most ponies living in the ghetto. If she couldn't make them happy, she would be like them. Miserable, deranged, dark.

The visions began to dance behind her eyelids, prompting her to open the shades that trapped them within her mind and splay them across a new theatre. Her icy blue eyes snapped open to the yellowed ceiling that hung sickly, in places, with bloated sagging swellings from years of leak neglect. A small animal darted across the ceiling. It was a sort of amalgamation of bird and rat. Hairy, but with a large beak full of sharp teeth. It scampered to and fro before opening its mouth impossibly wide and expelling its insides out to become a grinning face.

"Pinkie…you want to dance with me?" The face began to stretch until it covered the entire ceiling. Its eyes narrowed and one burst, spilling violet blood down and into its own mouth. A snake-like tongue flicked out and up into the empty socket, still grinning.

Pinkamena spoke to the image, "Yes…show me how to dance again. Show me…what I need to do." Her mind made sense of the garbled words she had uttered in reality, "I like dancing…"

The vile image finished lapping its empty socket and began to laugh, "You already are." Its voice was full of menace and it mocked her. The face split apart and showed Pinkamena herself pulling the trigger of a hoofgun and blasting apart shadows in the shape of ponies. They cried out in pain as they exploded. They tried to run, but Pinkamena was far too good a shot to be eluded that easily. The running shadows met their fate quickly and Pinkamena turned the gun on herself.

Pinkamena's body grinned from the grimy floor as she watched the bullet come from the gun in slow motion and split her head apart. She watched the bullet twist into her forehead, right between her eyes. It dug in deeply and the flesh gave in, tearing a little at first and then ripping away as her skull cracked and broke apart. Suddenly, the view changed and she could see what the bullet would have seen if it had eyes.

She tore along ridges of gray matter, making them ripple and burst as she passed. An odor like burning hair stunk up the inside of her brain and she understood why she had shot herself. Her brain was rotting. She was rotting. It was a mercy.

It seemed like she ripped through her brain for hours, separating synapses and connections to deeper areas that controlled everything from speech to motions. Then, on the horizon, was a high domed wall. It was the back of her skull and she, the bullet, picked up speed preparing to collide with that wall. She braced herself for impact and met the wall head on, shattering it and sending it flying, like pieces of a broken mirror outlined with dark pink clumps of hair. She could hear laughing in the distance and…what was that? That burnt hair smell was far too overpowering now. What….the…?

"BUCK!" Pinkamena jerked from the floor violently, slapping her right ear on top of her head. The smell of burning hair was strong in the room and she rubbed at the sizzling ear. She twisted her gaze to the single coil of the portable cooking range. She had passed out right next to it and rolled her ear onto its red glowing eye. She must have forgotten to turn it off. The buzz must have been wearing off, because things were lucid enough; only specks jumped around in her vision now. Her trip was reaching its end and she felt tired from the taxation that the drug had placed on her body.

The pink pony with long, darker pink hair clicked the range off and studied the pile of tiny pink cakes wrapped in cellophane in front of her. This batch was good. It provided visual and auditory hallucinations. It was better than the last batch that she had deposited to the streets. This was a winner. Ponies would spend a lot for this stuff. Maybe she couldn't make cakes from sugar and flour anymore, but she was proving to be truly great baker of chemicals. She would make cakes again, just a different kind. The kind that these ponies were more than willing to buy. She had always heard her baked goods were habit forming, but these were straight up addictive. She was going to be a baker again, damn it. She would make ponies feel something, even if it was only for a short time.

Pinkamena, she thought, you will be in demand once again. But now, you take a nap.

Something made noise in the other room and snapped Pinkamena from the sleep into which she had fallen. She had evidently been struggling in her sleep, because all of the cooking tools were pushed away in an oval around the pony. Pinkamena cocked her head, her sore ear perking up as she sat up from the makeshift drug lab on the kitchen floor. "Shy…is that you?" Pinkamena was almost certain it was. Fluttershy lived with her, after all. She had been for the last year.

The yellow-coated mare slowly entered the room, her eyes down as if she had done something wrong and expected punishment. "Oh…um, yes. Sorry if I bothered you. I...uh …wanted to talk to you." Her voice was scared. It was always scared. It annoyed Pinkamena to no end, but Fluttershy was the only pony she allowed into her life and she would bear the minor annoyances. If it weren't for the pegasus, Pinkamena would have gone completely mad by this point. In some ways, the pink pony knew that part of her still longed to have company and Fluttershy was it.

They had been friends in better days, but the times had made life hard for Pinkie. She had been trying to save Sugarcube Corner, while Fluttershy was afraid of what was happening in Ponyville and had secluded herself in her home as long as she could. Pinkamena recalled their meeting. It had been an accident running into the yellow pegasus mare on the streets.

Fluttershy had been having an increasingly difficult time paying her rent as times had gotten hard. She barely made the monthly payments after she bought food for her animals and herself. Over time, she began to miss payments altogether and the landlord visited her on several occasions threatening to kick her out. He would have done so without a thought if another renter would have taken the small house on the edge of Everfree forest, but few ponies were willing to live that far out. Then came the offer.

A group of ponies had offered a higher price for the house, triple the rent Fluttershy paid per month. These ponies knew how to make meth and planned to use the house for their laboratory. The landlord was a businesspony and greedy; he didn't care about their plans for the house as long as they paid the price quoted. If they were ever caught, he could feign ignorance and rent the house again later. It was a better plan than maybe getting his rent every other month from the insipid yellow pegasus. He might even sell the place to them if they made an offer. He gleefully kicked Fluttershy out. A month later, the meth lab exploded, killing the ponies renting the place and completely destroying the house.

Fluttershy had tried staying in the Everfree forest with her animal friends, but quickly changed her mind when a band of wolves attacked her in her sleep. She had tried reasoning with them, but they only wanted her meat, not her friendship. They leapt at her before she could gain flight and Angel Bunny had sacrificed himself in order to allow her time to escape.

The confidence and bravery the small bunny possessed was a thing of legend. He had dove from his friend's pink mane and kicked the first wolf in between the eyes, ricocheting off and planting his balled paw into the jaw of the next. The small creature then bit down into a third wolf, making it yelp loudly before the pack descended upon him.

Fluttershy had wandered the streets of Ponyville for nearly a month, hiding from nearly everypony. She ate from garbage cans and slept under cardboard boxes at night. One night, she awoke to two thugs dragging her out from under her makeshift shelter. They chattered excitedly about what they could do to her as she curled into a ball, pleading with them to leave her alone. They didn't. One of them produced a bottle of lighter fluid and sprayed her with the reeking fluid until she was sopping from the slick liquid. She covered her eyes and cried, facing her demise. How could they be so mean? She waited to be burnt. Once they were pleased with her dampness, they struck a lighter and…

Pinkamena had been out for the biggest part of the day. At this point, she had a reputation for not taking shit. She had been assaulted a couple times and had left ponies dead because of it. She could become vicious when she needed to be. She carried a hoofgun with her whenever she was forced to leave her home for supplies. Most of the time, ponies left her alone and she, in solitude, walked the streets unabated. The cries of a mare in danger meant little to her, but for some reason, this time was different. She had turned to see what crime was playing out in the dirty alley. Usually she would have kept going, ignoring the whole scene, as it was fairly common now. That's when she recognized the yellow pegasus mare. Some emotion streaked down Pinkamena's body, a feeling long lost, a sudden need to defend. She stepped into the alley, silently placing her steps and moving closer to the scene, drawing her gun. She smelled lighter fluid and they were joking about fried pegasus wings. One of them had a lighter. They planned to burn her. They were going to burn Fluttershy, a mare who in her entire life had never hurt anypony. How this scum was wrong. They were going to pay. They were going to die.

A hoofgun fired twice. One of the offenders fell in a heap and the other ran as fast as he could from the scene. Fluttershy cried in the alley and waited for the flames to eat her alive. The loud blasts horrified and confused her. Was she shot? Were they just tormenting her before they lit her body on fire? She lay shivering for a long time before opening an eye to see a pink mare standing over her with a smoking gun, one of the ponies who had attacked her lying dead a few feet away. Moments passed before she recognized her one time friend. She hadn't seen her in years, ever since Sugarcube Corner had closed. She thought she had moved away with the Cakes. She looked up with tears in her eyes, her voice pleading for help, "Pinkie…"

Fluttershy was the only one allowed to call her that name now. That name was only a reminder of who she used to be, something she could never be again. Something about Fluttershy saying it was different. Instead of the normal anger that worked its way from her gut at the utterance of her former alias, a calm sensation swept over her when Fluttershy spoke that name.

Pinkamena had taken the yellow pegasus to her home in Sugarcube Corner and cleaned the stinking liquid from her coat. Fluttershy had kept telling Pinkamena how sorry she was for being a burden to her and she kept using the name Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy kept saying she would leave and find somewhere else to go. Maybe back to Cloudsdale, even though she had hated it before. At least it would be safe and maybe she would be able to help with the weather.

Pinkamena knew better. Fluttershy, as pegasi went, was about as effective as a paper bag. She would never find a job using her wings. She was weak and lacked any sort of confidence, useless in almost every aspect but…she made Pinkamena feel something deep inside her. She felt just a hint of who she used to be. She had a pony with whom to talk. It had been so long since Pinkamena had even spoken to another pony that, when she addressed Fluttershy, the sound of her own voice was almost alien. She still didn't laugh…at least not in joy, but she wasn't completely alone. She did not let Fluttershy leave. She told her she would stay in Sugarcube Corner and that Pinkie…ugh…would keep her safe.

Coming back to the present time, Pinkamena rubbed her sore ear and sighed, frustrated, "Shy, you don't have to apologize for coming into the kitchen. You have been here long enough to walk wherever you want. In some ways, if you were to wake me up by slapping me I would be happier." Pinkamena's tone was only slightly abrasive, but it was enough to make the yellow pegasus cringe.

"I'm sorry. Pinkie…"

Pinkamena only rolled her eyes, bringing a hoof up to cover her forehead. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. I just said you don't have to apologize for everything you do. Just walk in here and say 'Wake the buck up, bitch, I have something to say.'"

"Oh no, I could never say that, Pinkie, especially not to you. You're so, umm, nice to me after all, letting me live here and everything." Fluttershy barely worked up the courage to look into Pinkie's eyes as she spoke.

"I don't let you live here. I want you to live here. There's a difference. I don't just let ponies live here." She stood up and stretched, looking over the mess in the floor. She would have to clean it up. She wanted to make more of the cakes soon, but everything would have to be sterilized first. One wrong chemical could end up killing ponies instead of making them see visions. Half-interested, she asked, "What were you wanting to talk about?"

Fluttershy grimaced at the drug-making equipment. She didn't really like it, but she accepted it because it was how Pinkie had made enough bits for them to live. Recently she had found a new recipe and it had been selling well. That was the problem.

While Pinkamena napped in the kitchen, Fluttershy had been visited by one of her animal friends, a fat squirrel. Although she had long since left her happy home at the edge of Everfree, Fluttershy's ever-loyal animal friends had kept watch over her, listening to other ponies in case they ever planned to do something to her or, now, to her protector. Fluttershy had tried to dissuade her beloved animal friends from such a vigil, but they wouldn't heed her pleas. Although she worried about their safety, it was comforting to the timid mare to know she might have notice in case somepony planned to break in, rob, or hurt her or Pinkie. Ponyville had changed drastically and she realized that her best means of dealing with a threat was to not be there when it appeared. Although she hated the thought of one of these helpless animals being hurt trying to keep watch over her, she was able to fall asleep somewhat more easily at night because of it. Up until now, she had never heard anything scary from her voluntary network of spies, but now it seemed something had happened.

The squirrel accepted a small acorn from Fluttershy and in its squirrel ways explained what it had overheard at Sweet Apple Acres. Most ponies thought the smaller animals unintelligent because they could not speak, but this wasn't quite true. They could understand basic ideas. This squirrel knew that Fluttershy and Pinkamena made little pink cakes and that a lot of ponies were…eating(?)…them. These ponies usually ate a powder that the orange mare in the apple orchard made. It had heard the orange mare and a red stallion discussing why their powder wasn't being eaten as much. They seemed angry about it and determined to find out who was behind it. The squirrel had scampered into Ponyville, using its secret paths, and to Sugarcube Corner to tell its pegasus friend.

Fluttershy watched the pink earth pony pick up and place the apparatus into a sink, turning on the hot water to let them soak. She was scared. She didn't want something bad to happen to Pinkie. Pinkie was her only pony friend and her savior. She couldn't just let Applejack find her. Applejack, once her trusted friend, had changed drastically after Sweet Apple Acres almost went under. Fluttershy was afraid of her now because of the many rumors about what she did to ponies who crossed her. Fluttershy tried not to believe the rumors, but they were so terrifying that she had never worked up the courage to see Applejack again. She tried to form the words and stammered out a pathetic squeak.

"What?" Pinkie had turned her head to hear Fluttershy better but didn't look around, beginning to scour the glass bowls and beakers with a scrub pad.

"I said…the cakes. They…other ponies are…" The thought of saying, "Pinkie, Applejack might come and kill you if she finds out you are cutting into her business," was horrifying to Fluttershy. She didn't want to say it and, when she tried, it stuck in her throat and formed a heavy ball. A tear spilled down her cheek as she thought about Applejack killing Pinkie.

Pinkamena worked a slender pipe cleaner though some tubing as she spoke, excitement in her voice, "That new batch is very potent. I think it will sell even better. I think we have the recipe to really start making some bits. If this sells as well as that last batch, we will have to find an outside source to market them. I won't be able to do it alone. As much as I hate to deal with anypony, I'll have to sell it to a dealer."

Fluttershy gasped. A dealer could roll over on them if Applejack got to him! Then she would come for Pinkie. Things just got worse. Pinkie wanted to sell her cakes in larger quantities! Applejack was already noticing a loss in business; she would surely notice this if what Pinkie said was true. Better quality meant more business, more business would hurt Applejack, and then Applejack would find out who was supplying the new drug and come hurt them! "But…my squirrel friend…Applejack!"

Pinkie stopped washing the utensils and turned with a confused and concerned gaze, "Your squirrel friend, Applejack?" Her voice was deeper than it used to be, more serious. She watched Fluttershy for a moment. "I thought you didn't do anything hard, Fluttershy? Did you try one of my cakes?" A small smirk rode on her cheek. She sort of hoped Fluttershy had begun to snort some of the cakes she made, as it might mellow her out a little. The thought crashed and burned, however, after Pinkamena recalled her last drug-induced dream. Fluttershy probably would have died of fright.

Fluttershy stomped her front hooves lightly against the tiled floor and bolstered herself to spit out the words over which she kept fumbling, "My squirrel friend heard Applejack and Big Mac talking about somepony cutting into their business. They are looking for YOU, Pinkie! They'll kill us both if they find out!" She spoke quickly and with only a small amount of quivering. She hoped Pinkie would understand the severity of the situation.

Pinkie turned back to the dishes and grinned to herself. She liked the idea that her goods were causing Applejack to worry. That meant she would get recognition for her baking once more. Pinkamena Diane Pie's Cakes, better than any Sweets you've ever had. The thought was delicious and her pupils shrank to pinholes as she swam through the dream.

"We should be Careful, Flutters. We don't want that. I'll think of something. Don't worry your sweet little head over it; I am going to be back on top." The pink pony's mind raced with ideas. She was going to rise like dough in this pit. She would make all the ponies of Ponyville crave her cakes again...

Confection or Contraband, either was fine.


	5. Fillies and a Fading Rainbow

Chapter 5

Beams of light poured through the window and splayed themselves across the wooden floor of one of the upstairs bedrooms in the farmhouse of Sweet Apple Acres. Harmlessly, the sun's light lingered for hours, slowly moving across the floor towards the bed where the lavender unicorn slept soundly. At long last, the rays' evil purpose came to fruition as they crept unabated onto the peacefully resting face of the unicorn, bombarding the fronts of her eyelids with solar energy until they could no longer bear the attack and Twilight woke up.

The unicorn sat up in bed; her eyes were still tired and it took several moments before she realized this was not her own bed in her own room. However, curiosity broke across her instead of panic. She immediately realized that this room was well furnished and made the leap of logic that whoever had brought her here probably did not mean to harm her.

The walls were a soft yellow and had paintings of fruit trees and black and white renditions of ponies who had most likely been gone for many years. There was a night table with a lacy cozy resting over its surface holding a reading lamp, a dresser similarly fashioned, and a wardrobe made from fine light wood. The bed had high hoof and headboards of similar woods and was dressed in big comfortable pillows, a pink blanket, and sheet. The décor was beautiful in its way, but felt like it was trying to capture an aged tone.

Twilight looked around the floor, but found no sign of a bed sized appropriately for her dragon assistant. She reasoned he probably had his own room and suppressed the nervous edge that had drawn across her. He was fine; she was fine.

Somepony must have chased away those thugs… She remembered them suddenly and the anger and fear returned to her for a moment. She had thought they were an emergency team at the site of her balloon's crash. She had gone to them for aid and they had stolen parts from the balloon and her suitcase. One of them had even stuck a gun to her cheek. She remembered the terror that had taken her by the mane and frozen her inside of her body. She knew he was only trying to scare her to keep her from following them and it had worked. Even though, she thought, he would never have actually hurt her, she had been paralyzed by actions she had never witnessed before.

She didn't remember coming to this house; she didn't remember anything after that at all. She must have fainted. How embarrassing.

She thought briefly that those wretched criminals may have taken her with them after frightening her to sleep, but the room was far too nice for anypony who would stoop to thieving from an accident. Somepony must have scared them away and brought her here. It probably wasn't the royal guards, she reasoned, as they didn't have fancy rooms like this in their headquarters. She would have woken up in a bunk inside of a station, not a beautiful old-fashioned room.

Her attention shifted to the window. She could see a farm through the glass pane. There were apple trees in a small orchard, a large red barn and several ponies with various tools walking back and forth. She did remember crashing into a forest of dead trees; maybe this was part of that same forest. She was still looking out the window when the door to the room burst open, exciting a short shriek from the unicorn.

A threesome of fillies hurriedly entered the room, each attempting to balance a tray of food. The ponies were a trifecta of pony races: an earth pony, a pegasus, and a unicorn. They were concentrating hard on their task.

At the front was a yellow earth pony with a red mane with a bowl of what looked like oatmeal precariously sliding back and forth as the foal shifted her small body similarly trying to maintain the dish. She was issuing exclamations in a heavy accent such as, "Dang it! Aw shoot! No, no, no!"

Behind her was the pegasus, orange in hue with a purple mane in short spikes that jutted forward over her head. On her head, she had a small tray of buttered wheat toast that kept threatening to tumble to the floor face down, as buttered toast always does. Her tiny wings fluttered like a humming bird's as she used them to gain leverage in one direction, only to send the tray sliding to the opposite. "Sweetie Belle! You're bumping into me!" she shouted to the unicorn behind her.

The unicorn, Sweetie Belle, white with a pink and light purple mane curling around her horn was balancing the tray of apples on the top of her rump instead of her head and not attempting to use her magic for stability. Her display lacked the entertainment value of balancing on one's head, but her tray wiggled much less than those of her counterparts. Her brows furrowed slightly as she petulantly replied, "I'm not touching you, Scootaloo. Don't blame your lousy balance on me."

"Apple Bloom! No!" the pegasus, Scootaloo, cried as her tray collided with the one in front of her as the earth pony struggled to keep it under control.

Apple Bloom fell forward in an attempt to get underneath the plate, but only succeeded in pushing it too far backwards, sending it into the air to impact with Scootaloo's tray, which in turn, made the pegasus trip over her hooves backwards to bounce her rump off of the unicorn's face. All three fell flat and the food hung in the air for a second as they watched helplessly, unable to alter the course of gravity.

Twilight conjured her magic to reach out and surround the only plate that she could realistically save. Her magic enveloped the apples and suspended them above the fillies. The toast separated and one piece landed, face down, on the floor. The other stuck to Sweetie Belle's back. The oatmeal spilled out directly onto Scootaloo's head. Her mane and face were covered in the sticky oat paste. Twilight giggled at the scene and levitated the apples to her bed, setting them down on the blanket next to her.

"Shucks, girls. Ah thought fer shuwere we would get our cutie marks in waitressin'," the yellow earth pony said miserably.

Sweetie Belle answered matter-of-factly, "If Scootaloo could keep her balance and not flutter back and forth so much, we probably would have."

Scootaloo looked agitated, oatmeal dripping off her nose. "Me?" She snorted, "I was doing fine until you kept running into me!"

"I did not, you're just clumsy," replied Sweetie Belle, smirking.

"Clumsy? I bet you can't…"

"Girls! We have a guest! We cain't argue like this in fronta her!" Apple Bloom looked genuinely upset at the quarrel as she appealed to her friends.

Twilight couldn't help but chuckle at the threesome. They were so cute and had been so focused on trying to attain their cutie marks. Surely, they knew it was a special talent that would manifest itself and that they couldn't force it. "That's okay, girls. My name's Twilight, I think your names are …" She looked at each one individually as she spoke their names, "Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. Is that right?"

Apple Bloom nodded, but looked sadly to the floor and the mess that they had made with the plates of food. "Well yeah, and it's nice to meetcha miss Twilight, but yer breakfast is all over tha place. Mah sister says first impressions are tha most important and we just messed it all up."

The other fillies looked pathetic as Apple Bloom spoke. She was right, they had loused up more than just another chance to get cutie marks. They had probably made Twilight think they were incompetent goofs.

"Breakfasts come and go and these apples will be fine. They are so appetizing." Twilight knew the fillies were correct; first impressions were the most important and this could be her first step towards the magic of friendship. She would make friends with everyone she could, except maybe those two hooligans who had stolen from her, and these fillies would be her jumping off point. She smiled as she added, "And I think you three are very cute and polite. Thank you for bringing me breakfast."

The three fillies immediately brightened up and beamed smiles. They hadn't failed after all. They did a quick check of their flanks for cutie marks and turned back to the lavender unicorn. Apple Bloom stepped up to the bed, the others following, leaving a small trail of oatmeal as it drained from Scootaloo's head.

"Great! Ah'm glad ya don't think we're mess-ups an', by tha way, those apples are grown right here in Sweet Apple Acres. We useta grow all kinds of apples, but now we only got a couple orchards left. What we grow is tha best though! Ya won't find another apple that tasty in all of Equestria!" Apple Bloom smiled happily at the unicorn and stared patiently at her. She wanted to watch Twilight take a bite of the apple.

Twilight got the hint after only a couple seconds of awkwardness and levitated the apple to her mouth, crunching into the meat of it. To her credit, the filly was correct. This apple burst with flavor over her tongue and she took another bite eagerly before setting it to the side. "Oh wow! It is really good, Apple Bloom. I can see why you're so proud of them."

The earth pony laughed with a joy that was indicative of her nature; she still thought the quality of their apples was what made her family their money. She was proud of every apple that was harvested and helped as much as she could with her friends. Behind her, the pegasus and the unicorn fillies rolled their eyes before snapping back to the lavender unicorn with happy grins.

Twilight started getting out of bed to help clean the mess on the floor. "Well, let's do something about this mess, girls." Her magic began to form the splattered oatmeal into globs.

The white unicorn, Sweetie Belle, grimaced and interrupted the older unicorn, "Oh, Twilight you don't have to do that. We have help that will come and clean this mess up." As she spoke, Scootaloo shifted uneasily.

Scootaloo took a moment to clean her face free of dripping oatmeal and faced Sweetie Belle. "If Twilight wants to help, I think she can. She's the guest. She can do what she wants, even if it's cleaning. There's no reason to get Rainbow Dash." She looked somewhat agitated and scowled at the unicorn with thinly veiled spite.

The white unicorn gave a stern look briefly before it melted into a slightly cocky smirk as she said, "Oh, Scootaloo. You know that Applejack said that we were to take care of Twilight. She wasn't supposed to do anything strenuous. I'll get Dash to clean this mess up. It's why she's here after all. It's her job."

Apple Bloom looked a little confused at her friends. She could sense something wasn't quite right between them and her eyes twitched between the other two fillies. "Come on Scootaloo, ya know she feels better when she helps. Mah sister said she needed ta help so she could get over…ya know…being so sick. It makes her feel good. Ya remember what she useta be like."

The body language of the orange pegasus bespoke her sympathy for the pony in question and her eyes softened as she looked at Apple Bloom and replied, "I…guess you're right."

Twilight sat and listened to the fillies talk, more than a little lost in the conversation. She didn't know who this pony was or why she was sick, but if helping made her feel better it must have been a pretty debilitating sickness. She finished an apple and addressed the girls.

"If it makes this pony feel better then maybe she should clean it up. If it really makes her feel better." Twilight thought maybe the pony in question was disabled in some way; she had read how even the most humble actions could bring hope to those who were injured. It was important to feel like one could do something in the face of crippling disabilities.

Sweetie Belle smiled at the lavender mare. "Oh, she would feel so good about herself if she did it. Like I said," her eyes moved back to the pegasus, as she replied with an almost imperceptible degree of malice in her voice, "It's what she lives for."

The fillies sat around the lavender mare and talked for a while. They explained that after her balloon had crashed, Apple Bloom's big sister Applejack had found her and brought her back to the house to rest. After Twilight was rested and Applejack returned from some business she had in Ponyville, they would get to meet. That sounded fine to Twilight. She wanted to thank the pony who had so graciously taken her in and perhaps this Applejack could become another new friend.

To nurture her budding friendship with the fillies, for a long while, she talked to them about Canterlot, a topic in which they were very interested, and about patience for their cutie marks, a topic in which they weren't at all interested, much to Twilight's chagrin. Twilight asked about Spike, her dragon assistant, and they told her he had a room just down the hall and was sleeping. They were going to go get some food for him as soon as they left.

Before long, it was nearly noon and the three fillies took their leave to go and make sure their other guest was being taken care of, after assuring her that they would return soon. Twilight smiled in satisfaction at what she considered a successful conversation. She crafted her first few sentences to Princess Celestia as she waited for the fillies to return.

Sweetie Belle and the other Crusaders left the room a short time later. They had to get more breakfast for the dragon about whom Twilight had begun to ask. Sweetie was agitated. Scootaloo was, once again, intentionally disagreeing with her in front of other ponies. The only rival she had in the world was that dopey orange pegasus and there was no way that she was going to take Sweetie's rightful place in the Apple Family. She had worked much too hard to get there. She kept giving Scootaloo dark glances, which were usually returned in kind. She had a bone to pick with that want to be.

Sweetie Belle was a filly with plans. She had lived with her sister, Rarity, in Ponyville ever since her mother and father had been mugged and shot in the ghetto's streets. It had been hard adjusting to life after that. They had been killed for the money in their pockets, a measly five bits. Her loving parents were gone for nothing. They had been taken from the rest of her life by thugs without an ounce of respect for anything. The thugs had been apprehended by the Royal Guards and thrown in prison for life, which was a rare occurrence in Ponyville these days, but that did not bring back her mother and father. Her life had changed forever, for the worse. She realized that having a happy family meant nothing if others didn't respect that happiness. The ponies of Ponyville only respected power.

Sweetie Belle had moved in with Rarity in her clothing shop. The shop itself did little business in Ponyville, but they still made enough bits by mail service to live modestly. Rarity had been, and still was, a rising fashionista. Her wares were sought after by high-caliber ponies. Unfortunately, Rarity worked mainly for the prestige of having her outfits worn by such high-class ponies and made only a marginal amount of bits from each purchase. Her goal was to make the best dress possible with the money at hoof, and almost all of that money went into the dress. In a way, Sweetie Belle was happy that their boutique had very little hoof traffic. Traffic meant keeping the storefront decorated with high-class goods and that meant they would be targeted for robberies.

Rarity had attempted to teach her younger sister to sew, but the life of a seamstress just wasn't for her. She had tried for a long time, but had never gotten very good. Her abominations sprouted extra sleeves and frills that seemingly exploded from random locations. In some abstract world, her dresses may have been the height of fashion. However, in a world where ponies only had four legs and desired colors that actually worked with one another, she only ruined precious fabrics and earned many a scolding from her sister. She longed to find another occupation, but the streets were hard and unforgiving. She needed something that could keep her safe. Something that demanded respect.

Sweetie had known something was wrong with the Apple Family's business. More and more she had begun to stay with Apple Bloom on sleepovers. She felt safe out on the farm. She knew that, for some reason, nopony messed with the Apple Family. But, why? Sure, they had a lot of farm hooves that worked the farm and their reputation was that of a strong family, but it seemed unlikely that nothing ever happened to their farm. Not even stolen apples or graffiti!

Sweetie Belle had begun to snoop into Applejack's business meetings. Many of the prospective clients did not look as though they cared a thing about apples and she had surmised that there simply could not be enough apples in what was left of the orchards to fill enough orders to keep the farm running. Through the thick wooden door of Applejack's office, she could not decipher what the ponies were saying. However, once she was sure she heard screaming as if somepony were in horrible pain. She had been frightened away that night and sleep only brought nightmares.

Sweetie questioned Apple Bloom off and on for days but she seemed to believe earnestly that the quality of their apples meant higher prices. Ponies preferred quality over quantity, isn't that why they had beaten those horrible twins and their machine? Apple Bloom was bright, but very gullible. Sweetie didn't want to press her friend with uncomfortable questions.

Over several weeks, the white unicorn had discovered a spell that allowed her to plant a magic charge in an area and transmit the sounds to her mind as though she were actually in that room listening. She was proud of her discovery because she had actually tweaked several minor spells to make a new one. She had never really had a gift for magic but it seemed like something had been guiding her, as if her special talent were trying to come out. Taking the first opportunity she could, she snuck into the office and planted her spell under Applejack's desk. She had been surprised when she found a small caliber gun mounted underneath and had left it alone. She didn't want anypony to know she had been inside.

That night she listened to Applejack discussing something she referred to as Sweets with one of the grimier looking clients. The conversation went back and forth and language she had never heard from Applejack floated freely into her mind. She tried to follow their conversation and struggled with it but certainly, something was wrong with the situation. She could hear Applejack, the nameless grimy mare, Big Mac, and that weirdo JackSlap. They never talked about apples and the Sweets they spoke of was a form of powder. The grimy client apparently owed the Apples a sum of money so large that Applejack was going to 'make an example' out of the mare. Chills ran through her body when the mare client began to beg Applejack for more time but Applejack had only asked Big Mac and JackSlap to escort her to the disciplinary building. She remembered the events after that clearly.

Sweetie had followed the three members of the Apple Family as they hauled a gagged and bound mare with a red coat and green mane out into the night. It had been hard for the white-coated unicorn to stay out of sight, but somehow she had managed to stick behind bushes and the corners of the farmhouse well enough to watch them enter a small concrete building near the edge of the dead orchards.

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and she had all wondered what was inside that building. It had no windows to look through and the door was steel. A thick sturdy lock always stayed bolted to the door and, when pressed, Applejack had told them to stay away from that building. They had dangerous poisons for all kinds of critters inside. She crept up to the windowless shed and realized the door was slightly ajar, just big enough to press her eye against it and peek through.

"You bitch, Applejack! I'll get your money! I'll bucking get it! Just let me go!" The red mare looked frightened. Sweetie could only catch glimpses of the cursing mare now and again, as JackSlap was standing just on the other side of the door, blocking her view.

"Now, Tater Chip, Ah've given ya enough chances. It's been three buckin' weeks an' Ah still ain't received a bit of what ya owe." Applejack was speaking loudly and with agitation pitching her voice a little higher than its normal range. She had some sort of tool in her hooves, but the lousy view made it impossible to identify. "Ah've been awful lenient with ya, mainly cause Ah don't like losin' my investments, but Ah'm not gonna see a bit of that money again."

"You will, I promise! Oh I promise. Give me one more week! I'll pay twenty percent more than what I owe!" The red mare seemed to be hanging by her forelegs from the low ceiling of the room, which Sweetie noted was very empty except for the four ponies inside.

"That's what ya'll said last time. I should have killed ya then, but bein' as trustworthy as Ah am, Ah gave you one more chance to get mah bits. Now, ya gotta pay. Ah can't be lookin' foolish and weak to all the dealers Ah supply. If word got out that Ah let you just run away to Canterlot er some other place then Ah'd never collect any money. Ah'll tell ya what, though. If'n ya could tell me where Ah can find yer pardner, Ah'll make it quick." Applejack sounded calm, almost friendly as she spoke this time. She also had put her hooves around the red mare's face, forcing her to look at Applejack.

"B…BUCK YOU," the red mare yelled into Applejack's face and immediately spit all across her muzzle and cheeks. Surprisingly Applejack sounded like she had laughed.

"Ah sort of hoped you'd say that. Hold'er, Macintosh."

Sweetie only caught fleeting images, but the mare had begun to scream and she could hear whatever tool Applejack was using tearing into flesh. Sweetie was so shocked and horrified that she accidentally let out a loud squeak.

"What the buck was that? Look, JackSlap."

JackSlap was quick, so quick in fact, that Sweetie had not recovered from the shock before his hooves grasped her and hauled her into the room, the door slamming loudly behind them. With a malicious grin, he said, "Boss! It's your sister's friend, Sooty Bowl."

Sweetie's eyes had widened as she took in the scene, her mind raced and she felt cold. The red mare was mewling in agony, nearly out of her mind with pain from the deep lacerations across her neck and upper body. Her face had a deep gash running the whole right jaw line and, even though her coat was red normally, now it was nearly black from the pouring wounds. She wouldn't last much longer, but for those next few minutes she was going to be in terrible agony.

Sweetie had panicked. It was too much; she had found out to much with her investigative nature and Applejack was going to kill her, too! She wouldn't be left alive after this; there was no way she would.

"It's Sweetie Belle, JackSlap, you moron. Try and get her name right." Applejack dropped the tool and walked over to Sweetie Belle, held still and captive by the heavy stallion, JackSlap. The orange mare had a great deal of blood streaking her orange coat and she got down to eye level with the frightened filly.

"Please, Applejack…" Sweetie had started to cry at the sight of the mare. She looked like a psycho killer from some of the horror movies that Sweetie and the other crusaders watched late at night when they wanted to get scared, except that was only television and this was inches from her tiny body. "…I won't tell anypony. I promise."

Applejack sighed and stroked the filly's mane back. "What in tarnation are ya doin' out here at this time a'night? Ya should've been asleep hours ago." Her voice was strong but caring, like it always was when she spoke to the Crusaders. If she hadn't been dripping with the blood of another pony, Sweetie would have been comforted by her voice.

Sweetie spoke quickly and sadly, sniffling between sentences. "I just…I wanted to know how you made your money. I knew the apples didn't bring in enough. I shouldn't…I shouldn't have spied on you."

"Well, ya'll are right about that. Ya shouldn't have. A filly like you shouldn't see this, but since ya have let's talk about it." The orange earth pony turned to her older brother. "Finish that filth off and make sure to keep her…" She looked back at the trembling Sweetie Belle and chose different words as she finished, "You know what to do, brother. Ah'm gonna take this young'n out of here."

Applejack took Sweetie Belle from JackSlap's grip and walked her out of the concrete structure and to the field where very few crops grew but the few standing defiantly out of the ground. She put her back legs under her and sat, listening to Sweetie try to calm herself. "Well, Ah ain't gonna hurtcha, sugar cube. Calm down. Ah just wanna talk."

It took a few moments but finally Sweetie calmed herself down enough to look Applejack in the eyes and speak past the lump in her throat. "Why, why did you hurt that mare? Because she owed you money?"

"Ah, killed that mare cause she owed us money, Sweetie," she corrected. "Ah reckon Ah should tell ya everything since ya took it on yerself to find out." Applejack sighed and began explaining her business and the importance of power in regards to her business.

Sweetie couldn't remember the conversation exactly; they had spoken long and at great detail about what Applejack did for a living since Sweet Apple Acres had almost gone under. To Sweetie's surprise, Applejack hadn't killed her for what she had witnessed and even more surprising things started to make sense. The main points of that conversation were…

First, Apple Bloom couldn't know anything about the true role of Sweet Apple Acres until her foalhood was over. The Apples had the means to protect her and she was to be left an innocent filly until Applejack deemed an appropriate time to break the young mare into the business. Life could be hard and every foal needed happy memories to fall back on when times were rough. Apple Bloom would, one day, have to control Sweet Apple Acres and she would have to make hard decisions. However, until then, she would have a nice foalhood.

Second, you were either the one in control or the victim of every situation in your life, and …

Third, family was everything.

At the end of their conversation, Sweetie had been taken back to the house and put to bed. She had slept restlessly and what she had seen had haunted her over the next couple of weeks. In the ghetto, it wasn't the first time she had seen violence, but never had she been so close it nor seen a trusted role model as the perpetrator. However, she had coped with it.

Sweetie Belle was withdrawn from conversation for a few days as she thought about the events she had seen. So much blood, so much pain, but what Applejack had said made sense. Sweetie herself was a victim. Her family had been taken from her by low lives. She hurt every day because of it and now she knew exactly why nopony messed with the Apple Family. The Apples fought back. No, they didn't just fight; they dominated.

She had been searching for the means to live well and without fear and The Apple Family sure seemed to have tight control on every aspect of their lives through force and fear. Maybe it was better to be feared rather than afraid. Maybe Sweetie could be the pony in control of every situation. If she could temper herself against the harsh realities of that life, then she would not have to live her life in fear and want. She could have what she wanted, take what she needed. Others would have to respect her.

She didn't know that several ponies made sure she didn't try to leave suddenly over the next few days and Applejack had sent a messenger to Rarity informing her that The Crusaders would be having a weeklong slumber party and camp out on the farm. Applejack had to be safe about this. She didn't want to kill a filly, especially not one of her sister's best friends, but terrible accidents could occur when "camping out", if it had to come to that.

Great surprise came to Applejack days later in the form of a white unicorn filly knocking on her office door and asking to be brought into the family. She was going to turn her down completely, but the filly brought up a good point. When Apple Bloom took over, she would need ponies she trusted to assist her. Applejack had Big Macintosh, but Apple Bloom had no siblings close to her age and, while Applejack planned to be around for a long time, she would grow older. If Sweetie became an Apple by bond instead of blood, she might prove useful to Apple Bloom in the time ahead. The unicorn would need a lot of training to harden her to the business, but if she could handle it, then maybe she would make a strong asset.

Applejack had agreed, under specific terms. If Sweetie could prove herself in time and not give away the secret to Apple Bloom, then she would become a member of the Apple Family. It sounded great. She could make incredible amounts of bits and be set for life. All she would have to do is keep Applejack's secret and stick with Apple Bloom forever. She had planned to stay friends with Apple Bloom anyway and now she had her method for safety.

In the time that followed, Sweetie Belle had been taken by Applejack on several occasions to watch and even take part in business. Over time, Sweetie's mind had hardened to the sharp edge of the business. Blood didn't frighten her anymore and she learned that violence could be an end to justify the means.

Sweetie was too weak to participate in any violence of the style of Big Mac or JackSlap, but mentally she had a lot going for her. She used her magic for espionage often enough that she caught pieces of information and had the mind to put those pieces together like a puzzle until a picture appeared. So, she had taken a special liking to gathering information and using that information against others. She craved the power it granted and took the opportunity whenever she could to enjoy that feeling.

Over time, she had surmised that the orphaned Scootaloo had also been offered a position in the Apple Family if she could prove herself. Instead of seeing a friend becoming an ally, Sweetie saw a possible threat to her own well-being and began to construct plans to get rid of the pegasus.

The three fillies walked the hallway towards the stairs to the kitchen, but Sweetie Belle stopped abruptly before descending the stairs and said, "Apple Bloom, go on down and start getting the meal ready. I have to find the help. She needs to clean up that oatmeal."

"Oh yeah, I plumb fergot. Me an' Scootaloo will go get the food…"

Sweetie Belle smiled pleasantly at her yellow earth pony friend as she suggested, "Scootaloo needs to help me find Rainbow Dash. She always knows where she is. It'll be quicker if we go together. We'll be right behind you."

Scootaloo gave the unicorn a happy nod when Apple Bloom looked at her. The pair looked so happy and pleasant that Apple Bloom only nodded and bounced down the stairs to get the food ready while her friends went on their own chore.

Sweetie Belle waited until Apple Bloom was out of earshot and turned viciously on Scootaloo, her eyes narrowing and her pleasant grin erased and replaced with a hateful scowl. "What the buck, Scootaloo?"

Scootaloo looked afraid and offended and made a sad little sniffling sound, "Oh, Sweetie, what did I do to you to make you use such language?"

"Drop the bucking act, flightless wonder. Apple Bloom can't hear us and you are going to listen to what I have to say to you." Sweetie was tired of the goody-goody act and reveled in the freedom to speak her mind to the annoying pegasus. Her hoof pointed accusingly at the simpering mare.

Scootaloo smirked and looked up, "Oh yeah? You think you have what it takes to tell me off?" Her eyebrow lifted and her lip curled up on one side. She was confident in her strength over Sweetie Belle and would address the situation if needed. She looked the smaller pony in the eye and said, "Buck you. You and your feeble magic can't do a thing to me."

Sweetie growled at the pegasus challengingly. Scootaloo could be such a bitch when she wanted to be and the way she lorded her physical power over her only made the barely contained urge to strike the pegasus worse. Sweetie was smarter than Scootaloo, though. She could use information as a weapon instead of her hooves and horn. "Oh? And what if Applejack found out you were sneaking food to Rainbow Dash? Do you think she'd like to know about your stealing from her? Is that something that a good and loyal friend to Apple Bloom would do?" She grinned confidently at the orange pegasus, her only perceived rival for position within the Apple Family.

After a brief pause, Scootaloo replied, "I haven't stolen anything and I don't give a buck about that loser, Rainbow Dash. She can rot for all I care."

The pegasus only faltered for a moment, but it was just long enough for Sweetie Belle to confirm that what she had only surmised was indeed true. Oh, Scootaloo. Complete denial could only speak volumes, but she was too stupid to know that. Sweetie had her. She might not be able to get her removed from the Family with that information, but she could definitely get her in trouble. Or, get herself out of trouble, if the need arose. "Really? I was sure I heard..."

"Buck what you heard! I don't care! You keep your little mouth shut or I'll…"

Sweetie jumped at the chance to put the orange filly in her place, "Do what? Hit me? Then when I tell Applejack about what happened to me when I caught you stealing, she'd really do a number on you. She might even have Big Mac hold you still so I could get my revenge. I think that would be a good punishment, don't you, you orange idiot?"

The pegasus angrily backed down, choking on her own words as she replied, "Fine, what do you want, Sweetie Belle?" She glared hard at Sweetie. She wanted to slap her around a bit and wipe that grin away, but that would have to wait for now.

"You are not going to make me look bad in front of Apple Bloom or anypony else. You got it? You think you can contradict me in front of others and get away with it because you're bigger than me? There are more ways to skin a cat than physically, Scootaloo. If you play by my rules, then maybe you can stay with the Family when Apple Bloom takes over." Sweetie allowed a moment to pass and enjoyed the hate building in Scootaloo's purple eyes.

Sweetie suddenly came up with a great idea. She would keep her enemy closer than her friends. She would build her up and earn her trust, then use it to destroy her later. She sighed, her tone noticeably softer as she said, "You are so strong, Scoot. I don't want to fight with you. We should be friends like we were before. We could help each other. You will be so important to us. I bet you could do Big Mac's job one day. You'd be feared all over Ponyville."

Her praise seemed to take hold of Scootaloo immediately. The pegasus perked up and her wings fluttered at her sides. A cocky smile emerged across her lips as she replied, "I guess I would be pretty great, huh? I bet I could be even better than Mac. Sorry, Sweetie. You're right; we should be friends. There's no reason we shouldn't. We'll both be feared one day. Me and you. You're so smart you could come up with all kinds of good ideas."

"Okay, great. No more fighting. We have to keep this secret from Apple Bloom until Applejack decides it's time to teach her the business and us fighting like this could give it away. Then we'd both be in trouble." The unicorn put on her best friendly smile. She was happy. The dumb pegasus was buying her ploy. She would bide her time for now, but someday Scootaloo would find herself outside of the Family.

She smiled brightly and suggested, "Well, maybe you should go get Dash. That oatmeal won't clean itself up." She knew Scootaloo felt sorry for Rainbow Dash. She loved watching the orange filly flinch at what her one time hero had become. If she was going to deny her feelings for the blue mare, then she would be forced to look on her again and feel the misery of what she had become.

Sweetie watched her "friend's" smile sag in response and felt a tickle in her heart.

Scootaloo grumbled to herself as she wandered the farmhouse. Sweetie Belle was a know it all smart mouth. No one's as smart as Sweetie thinks she is, Scootaloo thought, her mouth twisting in anger. Sweetie Belle had given away her ploy when she'd thrown Rainbow Dash in Scootaloo's face again. She always went back to Rainbow dash. Scootaloo wanted to slap the little white unicorn silly, but knew better than to push her too far. While Scootaloo was confident in her ability to beat the mare in a fight, the white bitch always seemed to know what was going on around the farm. She was too tricky. Someday Scootaloo would have her chance to get even.

The fledgling pegasus rolled her eyes as she tracked her one-time idol. How many times had Scoot kicked herself for worshipping Rainbow? The count was high by now, she was sure. She wished she could stop caring about the multicolor mare, but it was so hard. Rainbow had been her idol after her parents had abandoned her to wherever they had flown. In those first few months, Rainbow had taught her and made her feel safe in the brutal world. Perhaps it had been because she had been recently orphaned and the stress of being left alone had been too much, but Rainbow had quickly become like a sister to the filly and the two of them had shared many adventures together. Every day with Dash had been another slice of heaven the two could enjoy together.

Rainbow Dash had been the best flyer in Equestria to Scootaloo. She shot like a bullet across the sky, leaving a spectrum of light in her wake as she tore through the heavens. She was strong and cocky and everything a young pegasus could hope to be. Scoot smiled to herself a she remembered watching Dash practice her aerial maneuvers, each one a masterpiece. Dash's heart was the wind and she longed to fly with the Wonderbolts, the best flying team in Equestria. They only accepted the very best flyers into their legendary group. Dash had everything right. She was perfect. If any pony could escape Ponyville, it would be her.

And then she had tried out for the Wonderbolts…and failed.

Faint moaning shattered Scootaloo's reverie. Her stomach twisted as she followed the noise until she found her one-time hero. Rainbow Dash lay on the floor jerking and shuddering under the throws of Sweets withdrawal. Her body no longer appeared athletic. Her muscle has atrophied from disuse and Scoot could count the blue mare's ribs through her skinny, sickly torso. She made tiny squeaking noises and curled into a ball as the tremors took hold. Her coat, once shiny and beautiful, now sported a dull semi-matted appearance. Her mane, once her most vibrant and attractive feature, looked as though it hadn't been washed in weeks and much of its color had similarly deadened.

Anger and disgust wrestled inside of Scootaloo for dominance. One was just as strong as the other as she glowered at the twitching mare. She had been so proud and strong once. All it had taken was one rejection from the Wonderbolts and the great and powerful Rainbow Dash had turned to Sweets and become this pathetic addict. Scoot thought, not for the first time, that shooting the mare between the eyes would be the only way to bring her peace. However, she couldn't bring herself to do it, nor could she make herself hate the thing that used to be her hero. Scootaloo was the only pony who cared for her now.

Applejack kept the mare out of respect for who she had once been, or so she said. Scoot had believed it at first, but had realized that, in truth, Rainbow Dash was Applejack's greatest trophy. The only mare whose physical prowess could match the sturdy earth pony now was used as a maid. No…more like a slave. She cleaned the floors and kept the bulk of the farmhouse tidy for almost nothing. She worked for Sweets and board. She had been given the option for three meals a day or one meal and Sweets. The addiction was strong within her and she had chosen the Sweets.

Just as Sweetie Belle had suspected, Scootaloo had been sneaking her food when she could. Applejack had become her master and ordered her around as such. Scoot had even witnessed the orange earth pony using a belt across Dash's back when she had been particularly lacking in her duties or caught taking extra food. The mare had just taken the beating without an ounce of fight left in her. The only times she showed excitement was when Applejack threatened to cut her Sweets out. Scoot had watched the grin grow on Applejack's face as the blue pegasus begged her not to take away her Sweets. Once, Dash had gone as far to lick Applejack's hooves before the cowmare had relented and sent her away. The scene sickened and angered Scootaloo. She wished the multicolored mare would wake up one day and stop snorting the powder long enough to see what she had become.

Scootaloo checked over her shoulder for any nosy unicorn fillies and kneeled down to press against Rainbow's twitching body. The filly let out a sigh and felt the sweat matted fur against her. Her lavender eyes closed and she remembered Rainbow for who she had been, trying for a moment to live in better times. Rainbow's heart beat quickly and in a rhythm that couldn't have been normal. She had been dying for years. Maybe this time her shuddering would stop once and for all. Scootaloo secretly hoped to hear the heart stop and the thought brought a tear from her clenched eyes. Rainbow deserved better than this. Scoot felt as though her heart was being torn apart whenever she observed the mare.

The filly refused to leave the mare while she lay wracked with seizures. Scoot's smaller body remained close to the sickly pegasus. For what seemed like hours, Dash jerked on the floor, shaking the filly back and forth until, all at once, she went still. Scootaloo pressed her ear to Dash's back and listened for her heartbeat.

Silence.

Dash was dead. Her drug abuse had finally taken her. Ever since Scootaloo's parents had abandoned her in the night to the streets of Ponyville, the only pony she looked up to was Rainbow Dash. Even when she became addicted and the sight of her made Scoot's stomach churn, she had loved her. Now the last adult Scootaloo loved was gone. Tears flowed freely onto the still body beneath Scootaloo and she sniffled.

"I'm so sorry Dash. You're better off now…" She spoke silently as to not let her sorrow carry in case she had been followed and spied upon.

"You brought me some Sweets?" Rainbow dash spoke hoarsely as she woke up from the seizure. She barely remembered falling to the ground as the shaking had struck her. Her body needed Sweets and she hoped Scoot had brought her a little pick-mare-up.

Scootaloo leaped to her hooves in shock. She had been so sure Dash had died. Her heart…it must have been beating so softly she couldn't hear it. As Dash spoke to her, anger built up in Scootaloo and exploded.

"NO! I would never bring you any of that stuff. If you'd ever stop using it long enough to clear your bucking head maybe you'd see what you've become!" She didn't care who heard her now; she had been fooled into becoming emotional. If Sweetie were watching the scene, Scoot would never live it down. She couldn't be soft. Applejack, her only caretaker, would frown upon being soft. Especially to Rainbow Dash.

Dash didn't seem to notice the venom in Scoot's voice and managed to get to her hooves with only a slight amount of wobbling. "Ugh…Okay, Squirt. Maybe you should get going then. I have lots of things to do today and I'm not feeling well."

"Yeah? Well the guest room upstairs has a big mess in it and you need to go clean that shit up. Stop sleeping on the bucking floor and DO something." Scootaloo marched away from Rainbow in a hostile manner, having had enough emotional moments for one day.

Rainbow watched the filly until she turned down the hallway. The itching was back and her hooves raked at one of several spots on her coat that had thinned from the activity. "Guess I should go clean that room. Maybe AJ will give me some more Sweets for the extra effort."


	6. Time To Take Your Medicine

Chapter 6

Twilight formulated what she might put into her letter to the Princess while she waited for either the fillies to return or the mare who ran the farm to come home. She could get some good practice for making friends in here but she longed to be on her way to Hoofington. She couldn't keep wasting time here when her assignment was there. Even under the circumstances of her unexpected arrival in Ponyville delay in her mission could only be looked over for so long. Her drive for knowledge and recognition of skill made the time waiting for this Applejack a terrible pain.

The lavender unicorn rolled onto her back and let out a sigh of annoyance. She was still in the room where she had awoke. She had met three cute fillies named Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. They had been entertaining although they had made quite the mess with their balancing act of breakfast. She stopped thinking about the letter to the Princess. She had to do something else while she waited. Maybe if she could get her mind off of waiting she could make the time go by quicker.

She spotted the mess of oatmeal still congealing on the floor and rolled off the bed to her hooves. She didn't need to wait on this Rainbow Dash pony. She would clean it up herself. It wasn't exactly the most fun thing she could think of but it was there to be done. Her horn glowed as she called upon her magical ability and a large wad of oatmeal floated from the floor inside a pocket of purple magic. Twilight spotted a trashcan in one of the room's corners and it similarly became wrapped in a purple glow as it floated underneath the glob of oatmeal.

The door opened quickly and a dull blue female pegasus stumbled into the room. She looked sickly, just as the fillies had said, but Twilight wondered how the mare could be doing any sort of work in the shape she was in. Her coat was worn thin in several places and what wasn't thin was worn and stuck together. Her mane mirrored her coat in state but the colors were different. At one time they had probably been bright and flamboyant with their multiple colors, but now they stuck together in so many places that where stripes had been were spots of colors, a regular kaleidoscope of colors completely out of place. Her cutie mark was hard to make out under the disheveled fur of her coat. It looked like some sort of rainbow coming from a white bubble.

The pegasus' eyes shot open revealing hundreds of tiny blood vessels swelled up and straining for oxygen. They intently followed the floating oatmeal and trashcan; her mouth fell open for a moment before she spoke. "Oh no…not again! It hasn't been so long I should be seeing things!" The pegasus barely maintained her balance, legs sliding from underneath her as she shook her head to try and clear what she took as a side effect of Sweets withdrawal.

Twilight released the oatmeal which landed with a hollow splat at the bottom of the trashcan. She watched the reaction of the off blue pegasus with interest and pity. She looked so frightened, maybe she wasn't used to magic. Sweetie Belle was a unicorn but maybe her magic hadn't quite kicked in yet. That could explain the reaction but Twilight thought whatever disease she had was the main reason behind it. She responded quickly, "Its okay! Its okay, I'm just using magic to clean this mess up."

Dash visually calmed and slumped against the door, her thin frame sporting all to clearly her ribs and hips. She let out a sigh and slide down the door, resting at the bottom, one foreleg resting on her chest. "Whoo, close one. I thought I was seeing things again." The pegasus made a weak chuckle as she finished her sentence. She looked at the unicorn and then at the mess on the floor. "This should be pretty quick. I've got things to do, ya'know. Why are you here anyway?"

Rainbow didn't exactly keep up with events much lately. In fact, she only kept up with her supply of Sweets and how quickly she could go through them before Applejack would bring her another batch. Lately she had been running out long before Applejack could bring her more. This unicorn, however, didn't seem like the type to be associating with Applejack. She had a calm and innocent appearance. Her eyes didn't dart away or glare when you looked into them. She was different than the ponies of Ponyville. She didn't belong here.

Twilight walked over to the pegasus gasping at the condition of her wings. Wings were the pride of any flying pony and this one's looked ragged, like they had fallen off and a foal had glued them back together; many feathers were missing but worse still were the few that clung to life. Frayed, loose, and dying they were barely even called feathers. Twilight couldn't let the poor mare clean anything up. She needed rest and serious medical treatment. How could anypony let this poor thing work in her state?

"You're not cleaning anything. You really need to rest. You look like you could just fall over any second. Why are you working in such condition? Come on, I'll help you to the bed." Falling to her knees and dipping her head underneath the foreleg of the pegasus, Twilight lifted her to her hooves and half dragged, half carried the pegasus to the bed.

"Hey! I have to do this. It's my job. If I don't do it I'll just stay sick! Come on, I'm getting the shakes again. Let me just…oof!"

Twilight had deposited her on the bed while she had been fighting to clean up. What had the fillies said about her? She cleaned because it made her feel like she wasn't sick? The lavender unicorn could understand that she supposed but the poor pegasus was very ill. She couldn't clean up herself much less this whole house. "No, just lie there and get under the blankets. You have to sleep. Is there a doctor or medicine or something I can get for you?"

Rainbow had felt tired since her seizures had returned. She needed Sweets soon or they would get worse. She hated when she just woke up in parts of the house kicking on the floor. Sometimes her bladder emptied and that was the worst because then she not only felt miserable but she had more to clean. She decided she could let the unicorn clean up her own mess. Since she was so nice and concerned about Dash's health then Dash would sleep for an hour or two and then get back to work. It would make her feel better. It just about had to. Doctor? Medicine? Had she never seen someone detoxing…no, she hadn't. Dash could see that.

An idea came to Dash and she grinned inwardly. "Oh, my medicine. Applejack must have forgotten about it before she left. It's not her fault, she's so busy. If you could fetch it, that would be great. When I miss my medicine I get like this. If you can just go get it I would be fine in ten seconds flat."

Twilight nodded and wondered how anypony could forget something so important as another pony's medicine. To her, this was a matter of life and death and she was very curious about how potent a medicine it could be to fix a pony in such pitiful shape that quickly. There must have been magic in it. She would get the medicine because it was right and because it was interesting. "Of course I'll get it. Where do I need to go?"

Dash knew where Applejack kept a gram or two of her Sweets. This goody four hooves unicorn would get it for her. Rainbow threw a hoof over her eyes, leg shaking slightly, and let out a groan. "It's in Applejack's office. She keep it in her desk. I think it's locked, for safety, but you could open it with your magic." Dash saw doubt in the unicorn's eyes. Breaking into a locked desk was not something good no matter the reason. She was losing the unicorn's cooperation. She would have to act fast.

Twilight was deep in debate about whether it was right to open somepony else's property if it was for good when the pegasus started coughing, a terrible fit of wheezing and hacking. Twilight would have to get the medicine. It was the pegasus' anyway. It had only been locked to keep it safe. "Okay, I'll go get it. Just stay still and try to rest."

Dash's fit suddenly ended and she lay back comfortably in the bed, pulling the blankets up to her neck. "Oh, thank you, umm, unicorn. Her office is just down the hall, third door on the right. The medicine looks like flour and is in little bags. Just bring one err um, two. That should be fine until she comes back."

The unicorn didn't even tell Dash her name before she left. Rainbow leaned back and chuckled to herself. A chill ran down her spine making her shiver all over. The shakes were coming on stronger. She had met that unicorn just in time. She would just close her eyes and try to rest while the unicorn broke into Applejack's Sweets stash for her.

Twilight had found the door unlocked and stuck her head in slowly. An unusual feeling of nervousness was spreading inside her mind. She knew it was wrong to snoop in other pony's property and kept reminding herself why she was doing it, for that poor sick pegasus. She slipped inside the room and carefully closed the door so as to keep as quiet as possible.

The office was fairly standard, a large room with windows overlooking the farm and curtains hanging on each side. A few file cabinets that looked as if they had been in use for generations sat in one corner of the room. As she made her first few steps into the room, her hooves sank into a thick shag carpet that was covered here and there by an ornately woven rug.

The prominent feature was the desk towards the back of the room. Twilight studied its structure as she carefully crept towards it. The desk was made of thick oak and stained a light cherry color. It was heavy and businesslike and the pony who owned it could immediately take control of the situation as possible clients would be in full view from the moment they entered the room until they were seated in one of high backed leather chairs before the desk. Twilight could tell that the pony that sat behind it was used to giving orders, not taking them. It was odd how much a piece of furniture could reveal about the owner. This desk was large and strong; it had seen hundreds of business deals go down and would most likely see several hundred more. It would outlast the current owner and be used by her successor and perhaps her successor's successor.

She felt out of place in the room. She was basically breaking into the property of the pony who had rescued her. The lavender mare told herself it was for a good cause and that it wasn't really a bad thing she was doing. She had to help that poor pegasus. She didn't want to think what might happen if she failed to retrieve her medicine. Sometimes, she thought, it was all right to do a little bit of a bad thing if it was important enough.

Twilight crept slowly towards the big desk, circling it and pushing the owner's chair out of the way with her foreleg. The unicorn wanted to get this finished quickly before anypony could catch her trespassing in this room. The last thing she wanted was to be caught and break whatever trust this Applejack had in her. She had left her in her home, cared and provided for, without reason to trust Twilight and she didn't want to ruin things before she had even met the farm pony.

She heard voices in the hall and felt panic run through her veins, ice coursing her system momentarily. She peeked over the desk, hoping the door would remain shut. The voices moved steadily along the hallway on the outside of the office and she realized it was the fillies talking by their high-pitched voices even though their actual words were too muffled to make out. They were probably taking Spike his breakfast. She hoped they weren't trying their balancing act out again; poor Rainbow Dash needed to rest.

Twilight exhaled loudly and expelled the panic from her body. She had to hurry; she just wanted this to be over. Ducking her head back below the desktop, the mare attempted to open the drawer with her hoof. It moved only slightly before the latch clacked against the inside of the desk. Locked, just as Dash had said. With a resigning sigh, Twilight looked at the sturdy metal lock. It couldn't have been that easy, could it?

Twilight had never used her magic for purposes of this nature. She swallowed hard; she wanted to be out of this room. She wanted to clear her conscience of snooping. She would feel so much better once she had the medicine and the blue pegasus was feeling better. It would all be worth it then, but for now she just felt wrong about the whole ordeal. She squinted into the lock and quickly considered what spells might unlock the latch inside. After a moment, her horn glowed and the lock began to make noises within it.

Locks like this were simple, not as complex as the lock on a house or safe. A simple metal latch rested inside the lock that twisted up and down. Twilight thought back to a book she once read about building your own home. There had been a whole chapter on doors and installation, featuring the details of locking mechanisms for separate installations. Twilight knew that almost any book could be useful at one point or another and that one was coming in handy now. Sure enough, after only a few tries the latch inside swiveled and twisted to its unlocked setting.

Twilight felt a little proud of herself for getting the device open so quickly. Her intelligence once again proved itself, but she immediately chided herself for being proud of breaking into somepony else's desk. The unicorn slowly withdrew the drawer of the desk to reveal its contents.

There were writing utensils, rubber bands, a few paperclips, all organized into segments for quick access and use. Towards the back were tiny pieces of paper for taking little notes, a pair of scissors, a bottle of corn husker's lotion for sore and damaged hooves. At first she didn't see the three small bags of powder. They were behind the lotion bottle among a pile of rubber bands and tightly packed to not take up too much room. Seeing these, she smiled and pulled two of them out for inspection.

Twilight had never seen any kind of medicine like this; they looked just like flour. She had expected some sort of bottle or doctor's note, but after searching the drawer once more, she gave up. Maybe they were naturalistic or something. She had heard of ponies who made their own medicines and shunned modern practices. It seemed odd to her that anypony would risk their health just to stick with archaic traditional practices, but this whole place felt as if it had been passed down for generations. Forsaking modern comforts didn't seem all that far fetched in the situation. She didn't want to take any more time than she needed to with this task, but raised the small bags to her eyes one more time for a quick study of their contents.

Twilight hadn't taken very long in closely looking over the baggie she floated in front of her eyes but she had been concentrating just hard enough to not hear the sound of heavy hoofsteps coming from outside the room. Likewise, she hadn't noticed the door of the office swing open until an orange earth pony wearing a furious scowl and a stetson angrily demanding an answer.

"What the buck're ya doin' in mah office, unico-wern?"

For a moment Twilight was stunned into silence, she was caught red hooved prowling through another pony's personal property. She knew she shouldn't have done this and now she had most likely ruined any chance of friendship with the ponies that lived there. She felt ashamed of herself, but that was only a side note compared to the cold stone weighing down her stomach. The mare, wide-eyed, tried to speak but only stammered out an unintelligible string of partial words.

The orange mare didn't seem to thrilled about not getting a solid answer and stepped towards the desk, outrage taking over her voice. "Ah said, WHAT THE BUCK ARE YA DOIN' IN HERE?"

The unicorn attempted to speak once more and Applejack could see the panic in her eyes. Yes, she had been caught and now she didn't know what to do. The cow-mare loved that look in her enemies' eyes. She particularly enjoyed it right after the first blows had landed or pieces had been cut loose. Maybe the purple intruder knew what Applejack did to ponies who crossed her. The room containing her "trophies" was just behind the unicorn, locked, but the key was inside the desk drawer that the mare had opened. It was possible the unicorn bitch had already investigated the trophy room. Applejack wanted a new trophy. She wanted to carve the horn from her purple head and stick it to a wall. She had so few unicorn trophies. And, if she took this new one, Canterlot spies would think twice about messing with the Apples.

Applejack's mind was going a mile a minute. Images of hammers and saws and wonderful hoof-crushing devices danced in her mind's eye. She snorted and, for the moment, pushed those thoughts away. She couldn't act on her emotions just yet; too much was at stake. Applejack had already had lots of questions to ask and now, after finding the unicorn in her office, she had more. While this prevented any violence at the moment, the unicorn better have some good answers, or it would be inevitable.

She suspected the unicorn had come from Canterlot, but why? Canterlot had never taken any interest in Applejack's business before, but if this unicorn was a spy then she would be looking for evidence. And, after all, Applejack had walked in on the purple mare snooping through her desk and magically searching a pair of bags containing Sweets. Applejack's initial anger was somewhat displaced by nervousness. If she was getting evidence against the Apple Family, then she would have to be done away with, preferably painfully, but that would probably bring many questioning officials in search of the purple mare. On the other hoof, Applejack wouldn't just let her take the evidence back to Canterlot. She wasn't sure what to do about the situation but, for the moment, she needed answers. She would talk to the purple unicorn and try to glean some information from her.

Applejack glared at the unicorn with malice, but the quivering mare wasn't answering. Rage swelled within her again. AJ's mind was a crimson engine and the steam busting from it was fogging her clarity. She did not take well to not being answered. Her vision shifted slightly to the windows overlooking the farm. She could easily smash the purple bitch's head through the glass and then rake her face across the jagged remains of the pane. It would be a lot of fun. The unicorn would surely speak then. She would scream whatever Applejack wanted to hear.

Maybe she could just bucking kill her. Buck Canterlot. Whatever they tried to do the Apples could fight back. AJ closed the distance, her vision reddening and an evil smirk curling her lips at the sides. A quick clack against the head to stun her and then smash, right through the window. The purple mare's involuntary start at Applejack's quick movement only added to the cow-mare's feeling of twisted delight. Oh it was going to be so much fun.

No.

Applejack fought for control. She was smarter than this. She couldn't let her anger get the better of her. If she wasn't in control, then she would lose ultimately. She had the Family to think about. She had Apple Bloom to think about.

The ire building up in Applejack fought viciously for control as she tried to suppress it. However, she was finally able to push the hatred away and reduce the venom enough to speak clearly, but sternly. "Listen, Ah want some answers. Ah'm gonna ask one more time, nicely, and Ah expect you to talk back ta me. Unico-wern, what are ya doin' in mah office goin' through mah things?"

Twilight dropped the bags of medicine on the stalwart desk and finally words came to her when she attempted to speak. The orange earth pony sounded calmer than before, but Twilight was certain that, underneath the veil, she was seething. "I came in here to get that sick pegasus' medicine. I apologize for the intrusion of your personal space, but she was so sick and said you had forgotten to give her medicine to her, if you are Applejack, I mean."

What the buck was she going on about? Medicine? The unicorn had indicated the bags of Sweets when she spoke about medicine and Applejack listened closely to her words. Applejack kept telling herself she hadn't gotten where she was by following her emotions blindly. Sometimes one had to use caution and planning rather than force. The unicorn either had come up with a good lie on the spot or she was telling the truth. Unfortunately, Applejack didn't know which to believe. A well placed white hot needle could change that ... No, she still had to resist such urges.

She didn't give away any information about whether or not she believed what the unicorn had said. She had to play along and summoning all of her energy pushed the dark thoughts to the back of her mind long enough to play nice. She wasn't exactly a talented actress but sometimes she got lucky. "Yeah, Ah'm Applejack. Ah'm the one that pulled you from those hooligans out in the dead orchards. So ya met Rainbow Dash? An' she asked ya to come get her medicine from mah desk?"

That did sound like something Dash would do. She knew better than to be caught stealing anything. Sneaking around like the cowardly worm she now was. Applejack was confident that Dash had played up her weakness and begged Scootaloo into aiding the skinny blue pegasus in getting extra food. Dash was more valuable to her alive than dead and so she had let it go without much investigation. It might be time to change that. Rainbow, once her rival, had been under her hoof for a long while. Having the hope of Ponyville as a slave showed her strength.

Rainbow had been respected for her prowess and attitude for years and had amassed a large following of ponies in her prime. They had cheered for her against Applejack in their various contests before things had changed. Now all those ponies saw who was in control. Rainbow was just a servant...a slave, not only to Applejack, but to the Sweets. She was an addict of the worst type and had thrown her physical beauty and condition away for the Sweets that Applejack sold. She had lost everything to the orange mare, even her freedom. She couldn't be without her Sweets for long periods of time and Applejack controlled what she needed. AJ was her master now.

"Yes, well, she told me where her medicine was. I asked her if she needed anything. She could hardly stand when she came into my room to clean a mess the three fillies accidentally made. I didn't know what to do, but I couldn't let her work when she was so ill. Please understand, I wasn't going through your things like a thief...like those ponies you saved me from." The unicorn's gaze, for the most part, stayed locked into Applejack's green probing eyes only flicking down occasionally in shame.

The stetson wearing earth pony read every action the unicorn made as she gauged what might be truth and what might be falsified. She didn't know how much training, if any, the lavender mare may have received, but AJ had lots of practice in reading body language. The way the unicorn kept eye contact and only drooped instead of looking to the corners of the room told AJ that she was ashamed, which meant she wasn't used to doing things of this nature. She had been and still was scared, which, of course, was consistent with the unicorn's trouble getting her words to come out. Applejack could be quite imposing.

Applejack's senses were telling her the unicorn was telling the truth, but she couldn't be sure and she needed to be. She would play along for now until she could check the situation. She could cross check Rainbow Dash's story for validity. She wanted to talk more with the unicorn, find out what she was doing here, but first things first. She would find Rainbow and find out what she knew. If she had put the unicorn up to stealing, she would regret it.

"Mah stars, Ah've been so rude. Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres, Miss...?" The angry disposition seemed to melt and was replaced with kindness as she waited for the unicorn to introduce herself.

The unicorn breathed a sigh of relief and smiled sheepishly towards the earth pony. She had understood, how great. She didn't seem mad about the situation now and Twilight was glad she hadn't ruined everything already. "My name is Twilight Sparkle. I was on my way to Hoofington when my balloon crashed into that dead part of the forest. I am most happy to make your acquaintance, Applejack, right?"

Applejack smiled brightly on the exterior, inside she still scrutinized every action the pony made. Be nice, gain her trust, get the information. If this bitch came to spy she wouldn't leave alive. For now, make nice and learn. "Yeah, Applejack. Owner and proprietor of Sweet Apple Acres. This here has been mah family's farm for generations and we grow the finest apples in Equestria. Yer landin' here was fortunate, Ah suppose. If y'all had landed in Ponyville things would most likely have turned out worse. It's a fine mess in these here parts. Ah'm glad to meet ya, Twilight, but can I ask ya ta wait just a little bit longer before we really get to talkin'? I've got a couple more business errands and then we can talk up a storm."

Twilight wondered what was wrong in Ponyville and disliked being delayed again, but Applejack was her best bet in getting back on track with her task. She would bear another delay without sounding petulant or annoyed. The country mare had taken her in after all. "That's understandable. I'll just take this medicine to Rainbow Dash and make sure she gets to feeling better while I wait."

"No, I insist on delivering her medicine mahself. Ah can't believe Ah done run off and fergot it this mornin'. Ah should really be the one to make sure she gets it." She put on her best look of empathy and sadness for forgetting the important task and carefully took the twin bags of 'medicine' from Twilight. She would make sure Rainbow was taken care of all right. She would do it personally. She had a lot of aggression pent up.

Twilight kept smiling and admired the orange mare for taking responsbility for forgetting the medicine. She had forgotten, which was bad, but she was busy and sometimes things could slip a pony's mind. "That's nice you look after her, but she is really ill. Has she seen a doctor about her disease? I'm no doctor, but I know a good deal of magic. Maybe I could try and help her?"

"She'll be fine, Twilight. She looks bad, and is honestly, but it's not somethin' anypony can really do much about. She needs ta take better care of herself; it's all mental. Her body'd recover if her mind would let it." Applejack told half truths to the mare. Rainbow would recover if she laid off the Sweets, which had started out as a mental addiction, but had grown to physical dependency. She could still get off the drug and get well, but Applejack doubted it would be of her own volition and she wasn't going to help Dash along the way. Dash was property now and Applejack would keep her ex-rival/friend until she succumbed to the drugs and expired, if only to prove she could beat the Rainbow bitch ultimately and in the most degrading manner.

"Oh...how sad. I wish I could help, maybe I could..."

"She has ta do it by herself or she'll just do it again, Twilight. Ah've helped her for a long time now an' done what Ah could but in tha end she has to do it fer herself or she'll never get over it completely. Ah appreciate you wantin' ta help her, but leavin' her ta help herself is probably the best thing ya can do. This medicine is supposed to alleviate tha side effects and make her feel more confident. Someday she'll snap outta tha mental uh...funk she's in and get better."

"Okay then...I guess I'll just look around the farm, if that's okay." Twilight was interested in the farm. She wanted to see how the apples grew and what kind of care went into their production. It would be a good way to pass time while she waited. She liked tours of how things worked. Her analytical mind always asked how and why and thirsted for knowledge.

Applejack didn't like her idea much; if the Canterlot mare discovered the secret lab underneath the barn or any of the greenhouses, camouflaged as storage buildings, then the unicorn woud have to be killed regardless of who she was. Then again, AJ wouldn't have to play these stupid games anymore if she did find them. STOP! She chided herself for leting her emotions interrupt again.

AJ didn't want to seem against allowing her to explore the farm, it would be suspicious. She would have to let the mare look around, but she could make sure she had guides that would keep her from stumbling across certain areas. "Sure thing Sugarcube, Ah'll get you some guides. Y'all already met mah sister Apple Bloom and her friends. They should be done with their mornin' chores and ya'd be hard pressed ta find a better tour guide than Apple Bloom. Like us, she's mighty proud a' this farm. It'd make her day ta show y'all around. You and yer little dragon friend."

Twilight nodded, getting excited about seeing the farm, especially since Apple Bloom had already proved to be proud of her family's business. She would likely know intimate details about apple production. "If she's not busy, I would love if they could show me around."

"It's settled then, Ah'll call them girls and y'all can spend the next few hours roaming the orchards and seein' what makes this place tick. Ah'll be done with business by the time ya get back an' we can sit down and have a good conversation. If ya want to wait downstairs in the kitchen, Ah'll round up them girls."

Applejack escorted the unicorn to the door and directed her to the kichen. Playing nice was a bother and was putting strain on her to stay in character. Typically she would have had Big Mac hold her still while Aj made her answer her questions with violence and slowly increasing pain, but she couldn't yet. She didn't want to get Canterlot on her bad side, if that's where this mare had come from. She couldn't afford any more problems at the moment. She watched the mare begin her descent of the stairs and remembered Rainbow Dash suddenly, "Oh, Twilight! Where didja say Rainbow was?"

Rainbow Dash had fallen asleep in the comfortable bed, snuggling into the pillows and feeling warm and cozy under the thick wool blankets. Her body, for the time, had ceased its trembling and was allowing the mare a short reprieve. She could almost feel how good the sleep was for her body. She hadn't slept this well in a while.

Her bedding was typically old burlap sacks in an old apple storage room on the basement level of the house. It was kept naturally cool by being built under ground level. This meant she was chilled often and the burlap sacks did little to fight the natural coolness. It was also a bad room in which to have withdrawal. Well, every room was a bad room for withdrawal, but the cold cement floor made her shiver when she was tanked up on Sweets and it only added to the convulsions and misery of full-on withdrawal symptoms.

Her body ate the warmth and comfort as it waited, assured by the unicorn that it would have Sweets soon. All the sick feelings and weakness would soon be at an end; she just had to wait.

The door opened and closed to the guest room and Rainbow's body awoke expecting Sweets. She rolled over and spoke as she rubbed her eyes with her hooves, blinding her vision for a moment. "Oh, thank you...I didn't quite catch your name, but let me have my medicine and you can tell me all about yourself."

"Well, mah name's Applejack an' I found out ya were sending that unico-wern to get yer 'medicine' fer ya. Well, I got yer medicine right here." Applejack's voice sounded sweet for a moment and then changed drastically. She had made sure Apple Bloom and her fiends, who AJ had instructed to keep Twilight away from certain parts of the farm, were on their way before coming to confront the blue pegasus.

Applejack was almost aroused by the sudden change that came over Rainbow Dash. The pegasus immediately began to cringe and the look she gave, oh it was beautiful. So full of fear and shock. It brought a wretched smirk to Applejack's face.

"AJ! No! I didn't send her to do anything. She came up with the idea. She said...umm..." Rainbow was caught and she knew it. She tried to come up with an excuse, but her mind as groggy from withdrawal and very little sleep. It didn't cooperate even with the adrenaline rushing through her system.

The blue pegasus yelped as Applejack yanked her from the bed effortlessly.

"Shut yer trap, Dash. You admitted yer guilt before Ah said anything. Yaknow what's gonna happen dontcha?" Applejack slapped the side of the weaker pony's face hard, leaving it red and painful. "Stealin' is what Ah told ya ta never do and now you've gone and done it. Ah've killed a lot of ponies fer it, Dash. A whole lot. Why shouldn't Ah do the same ta y'all?" She looked the miserable Rainbow mare in the eyes, locking her with the anger that had been building like a fire inside her since she found out some other pony was cutting into her sales. Things were going wrong and she was going to get out some aggression.

"Because...because we're friends, right AJ? You...you take care of me." Dash was scared badly. She never used to know fear, but now it could freeze her in place or make her beg. Usually when her Sweets were denied. That was where it had started after all. Fear of being without her drugs.

"Do friends steal from each other?" AJ brought her hoof across Dash's face again, inciting a squeal and causing her nose to spill a stream of blood down her chin to dribble across her bony chest.

"No! I'm sorry, Applejack. Don't hit me!" Rainbow barely got the words out before being slapped again. "Agh!"

"I take care of ya, Rainbow. I give ya a place to stay and yer Sweets. I provide food and everything else fer ya and now ya use a guest in mah house to steal Sweets fer ya? You can walk down to the cellar er ya can get dragged an' ya better not bleed all over the carpet on the way down." Applejack released her grip on the pegasus and butted her towards the door. "GIT VARMINT!"

If anypony had been on the basement level of the farm house they would have heard, for nearly a quarter of an hour, what sounded like wet meat being packed densely, whimpers, and cries of anguish. The beating that Dash recieved from Applejack's tough hooves was meant as a warning. Very possibly it was the only warning the blue pegasus would get. Applejack had made it crystal clear that she didn't appreciate the underhanded way that Dash had tried to acquire her drugs. The next time it happened would most likely be the last.

Rainbow Dash lay trembling on the concrete of the cellar, freezing, hurting, and needing her fix; she lay crying where Applejack had finally stopped hitting her. Her nose and lip were bleeding and she was almost certain one of her ribs had been cracked judging from the incredible aching in her side. Even slight motions rippled pain through that whole side of her body. She had been forced to beg for forgiveness and had kissed Applejack's hooves as a sign of apology, her lips smearing the blood that Applejack had drawn with them. Her body was sore and she was too weak to crawl to her burlap bedding so she just lay still and hoped to pass out. Applejackwas cruel but fate was much worse.

She ended up thinking. The worst part had been Applejack refusing to give her any of the Sweets she needed for another two days. Two days was a long time when detoxing and it meant long, terrible seizures and agony as her body would begin to cramp and plead for the drugs it needed to function correctly. She remembered when Applejack was not a cruel creature. They had been such good friends.

It had been a long time ago, before Sweet Apple Acres had almost gone under. They had always been rivals, as they were the height of physical standards of their races. They were both stubborn and headstrong, which led to both friendly quarreling and physical forms of solving problems. Not fights, but challenges such as racing or hoof-wrestling. They were friendly competitions, although the winner would brag openly to stir a new bout of contests in the near future. They knew each other well enough to rub just the right amount into each others' wounds.

Applejack was stern and strong, more powerful than any earth pony mare Rainbow had ever seen. She pushed Rainbow to new heights of physical limits and made her a better mare because of it. Rainbow had been the closest competitor that the orange mare had ever had.

Rainbow had loved Applejack, but couldn't say it. She had loved everything they had done together but mostly loved just her company. The way she took on problems head on as if nothing could stop her made Dash shiver with excitement. Confident and beautiful, Applejack had stolen Dash's heart whether the cow-mare knew it or not. Because Applejack had never hinted at her own sexuality, Dash worried AJ would take offense or distance herself from the pegasus if she admitted her true feelings and so she had been forced to settle on friendship. Dash had done her best to be the best friend she could be and they had been nearly inseparable, except for the occasional taunt, challenge, and contest, until the Flim Flam Brothers' machine had just about brought an end to the farm.

Rainbow had helped in every way she could to save the farm. She couldn't sit idly by as the pony she cared most for's business died. The Apples would have lost everything and Rainbow would most likely have never seen Applejack again. Even when Applejack had suggested a new crop to sell, Dash had been right there to back her up.

Dash had helped clear the dead trees and build the green houses. She had been part of the Family then. She saw the desperation in all of the Family and did what was necessary to keep them going. She never regretted that time, even while she watched the happy orange mare become more and more bitter. She didn't blame her for the change. They had all been through a lot, but Applejack had shouldered the burden the most. If the farm failed it would have destroyed her, driven her mad or destroyed the spirit that Dash loved so much.

The farm had been saved, but Rainbow had watched in horror as the Apple Family changed, becoming more and more violent in order to keep competitors out of Ponyville. It pained her so much to see Applejack behave so drastically different that she searched for another way to supplement the Apples' income.

Dash had always wanted to be a Wonderbolt and had tried out before, but had been too young to make the team. She was in the prime of her life this time and the incredible income that the flying group paid its members would vastly improve the farm. They might be able to have fresh soil brought in and replace all the dead trees with the money. Dash could restore Applejack as an apple farmer again, not a drug lord.

Dash trained hard for months and had put on her best performance of her life at the next try out. She had performed a sonic rainboom as her finale and was confident that she had made the team. She would use the money to help Applejack get her farm back to normal and maybe after the old Applejack had returned, she would finally tell her why she had done it all. All for her, because Rainbow Dash loved her.

And then she had been rejected from the Wonderbolts.

Just like that all the training and planning and hoping Rainbow had done for the pony that made her smile meant nothing. She had failed. The next try out wasn't for several years and in that time her beloved Applejack would become a monster.

She wouldn't be able to bring the farm back. Applejack was going to become darker as she did more and more terrible crimes in order to maintain her business. Everything would continue in the wrong direction and never return. The sorrow and failure had brought Rainbow Dash home to Sweet Apple Acres as a loser.

Time had lost some of its meaning, but at some point during the weeks that followed her rejection, Rainbow Dash had begun to use Sweets. She had failed the pony she loved and the drugs made her forget how much of a loser she was and the path Sweet Apple Acres had taken.

Life had become a blur at that point. She had scarcely been able to recall time well since then. She wished, as she lay on the cold floor, that she could go back and change it all. It would have been better if the farm had failed. She would have been there for Applejack and taken care of her. She would have gone with her and helped her build a new life until Sweet Apple Acres was just a memory. They could had started a new life and, even if Dash never worked up the courage to tell Applejack how she felt, at least she wouldn't have become a monster.

Dash sometimes wanted to leave. Sometimes she thought about it, but she still cared too much for the pony that now hurt her and treated her more like a slave than a friend. She couldn't see her life without Applejack.

Or the Sweets.

Twilight, Spike, and the fillies explored the farm for hours. The sun had begun its descent and evening was on them before they returned to the farmhouse. Twilight and Spike's tour of the farm had been educational and the young Apple Bloom had been eager to tell everything she knew about horticulture and farm work. She had spoken at length about the different kinds of apples they grew, and used to grow before some great catastrophe that had left much of Sweet Apple Acres in ruin. Somehow the farm ponies still stayed afloat with the few orchards that remained and Twilight had spent several hours seeing each and every tree. As boring as this would have been to most ponies (and Spike, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had seemed more than thankful when the tour ended), Twilight had enjoyed every moment. Farming was a new field for the lavender unicorn and she had learned a great deal.

Twilight, Spike, and the fillies had barely let the door shut behind them before a green earth pony with a short purple mane and a crowbar cutie mark had come downstairs to inform them that Applejack was waiting in her office for Twilight.

Spike had started up the stairs with her, but the earth pony, JackSlap, had stopped the dragon and told him that Applejack had told him to escort only the unicorn. Spike argued for a moment, but was calmed down by Twilight. She and Applejack had made plans to talk mare to mare. Spike would get his chance to meet their benefactor later.

Twilight knocked lightly on the door and was invited inside. She came up to the desk, smiling at the orange mare on the other side who, likewise, returned the smile. Twilight was overjoyed the whole mess this morning had been cleared up and she took a seat in front of the expensive desk.

Applejack's fury had been mostly dispelled through Rainbow Dash's punishment, but she still didn't like the unicorn in front of her. She might not ever like her. She had caused far too many problems in the short time she had been here. However, AJ still played the role of a nice, caring pony and did her best to appear genuinely happy for their time to talk. "Ah trust ya had a good tour of th' farm? Ah hope Apple Bloom didn't go inta too much detail. She can be a might talkative on the subject."

"Oh no, it was very interesting and she knows a lot about your business. She was a very effective tour guide. Thank you so much for letting me look around. It was very informative." Twilight was genuinely thankful. She had completely forgotten about her mission to achieve the magic of friendship while discovering the agricultural accomplishments of the Apple Family farmers

Applejack studied the unicorn and thought about the words she used. Informative. Was she trying to hint she knew more than the tour was meant to show her? Applejack decided to try a little innuendo. She could drop little hints as well. "Ah'm very glad ya took such interest in us farm folk. It's not often we get Canterlot ponies out here ta our neck a' the woods."

The happy smile only broadened Twilight's face. If Applejack knew she was from Canterlot maybe she was used to doing business with Canterlot. If she knew ponies there, it would make getting back on track easier. She was curious what had given it away, though, and curiosity got the better of the unicorn. "How did you know I was from Canterlot, Applejack? It's amazing you knew that so quickly."

AJ grinned to herself; Twilight was playing cat and mouse with her. Throw some attractive cheese out, take a nibble, and wham! Dead mouse! Twilight wouldn't bait AJ so easily. "Oh, Ah'm good at readin' ponies, Twi. In my business, ya have to be."

Twilight thought that the ability to read others would be a great skill to have if she were to become a dignitary or ambassador. She had previously thought that maybe that was why Princess Celestia had sent her out to explore the magic of friendship. If that was a skill involved in friendship, then it would be really handy.

Twilight had gone off in thought for a moment and caught herself. She sort of stuttered slightly as she snapped out of the world of her own thoughts. "O-Oh, I see. That must be a great skill. I bet it helps you a lot in the business world."

"More than ya'd expect, Twi. A lot more'n ya'd expect." AJ was taking control. She could feel it. She had caught the mare off-guard. She would start to understand now that there was more to Applejack than a sturdy frame and drug trafficking. There was intelligence, too. Canterlot high falutin' officials always thought they were the smartest ponies in Equestria; well, now this one was finding out that country ponies weren't all dumb. "How'd ya end up down here in Ponyville, Twi? Ponies like you don't come down this way too often."

"Well, I'm Princess Celestia's star pupil. She gave every one of her students a special assignment. A test of sorts. My assignment was to go to Hoofington and discover the Magic of Friendship. It's an important task and, as much as I have enjoyed meeting you and appreciate the help you gave us, I really should get in contact with the Princess and be on my way to Hoofington." Twilight spoke with a burning pride of being the Princess' prized pupil. She would have to keep that information to herself in Hoofington or ponies might pretend to like her just because of her role. She needed real friendships, but telling Applejack would probably only speed up the process of getting to Hoofington. Sometimes dropping names could get you better reactions.

Applejack was torn between believing the mare and striking her for such a boast. If the unicorn thought she could walk into Sweet Apple Acres, lose her cover as a spy, and then drop a name like Princess Celestia to frighten Applejack out of killing her, she was wrong. No pony would be stupid enough to believe something like that. Magic of Friendship? Yeah, right!

On the other hoof...Applejack thought hard about the information. Twilight had seemed honest and proud to say she was the Princess' student. She didn't seem nervous at all when she said that. Damn. Applejack could discern lies from ponies who owed her money, but they weren't hard to figure out. Even if they weren't lying, the results were the same. Scare them, warn them, or kill them. This Twilight unicorn was harder to read. What if she was telling the truth? "So, uh, Twilight. Yer balloon crashed here on yer way to Hoofington? How come ya were flyin' so low over Ponyville? Dontcha know how dangerous it is? Y'all were just askin' fer trouble."

Twilight's cheeks reddened and she broke eye contact, an embarassed look crossing her face. "Well, I...sometimes I get lost in thought. It's kind of a bad habit of mine. I didn't know Spike and I were so low to the ground. I guess it was good though, if the balloon had popped higher up there might have been more damage done. It was so weird it just popped like that."

Could she be serious? Did she really think her balloon just popped? It had to be a trick. Applejack found herself doubting that, however. Maybe she really didn't mean to be here. Still, the risk was high. If Twilight was making herself look innocent just to run back to Canterlot with information, it would spell doom for Sweet Apple Acres. "Yer balloon didn't pop, Twi. It was shot down."

"Shot down?" Twilight looked confused and shocked. She couldn't process that somepony would willingly bring the balloon down. Those ponies who had been stealing from the wreckage, they couldn't be so mean as to have shot down a balloon with ponies in it...could they?

"Like Ah said, Ponyville's dangerous."

"But..." The lavender mare looked away, she had never thought one pony could actively try to hurt another one. Applejack had to be wrong. She was mistaken; that was it. She had come along just in time to see...those two earth ponies holding a hoofgun to her head. Twilight raised her eyes suddenly to Applejack. Tears were forming in the unicorn's eyes and beginning to spill down her cheeks. She was looking for comfort, doubt, anything to say that Applejack wasn't serious, but she found no consolation in the hard green eyes into which she imploringly gazed. ApppleJack was serious. Those ponies had shot the balloon down. That's why Spike and she had heard pops before the balloon began to fall. They didn't care if Twilight and Spike had died or not. It was too much for a pony who had known nothing but love and happiness. She simply could not understand it. Tears poured down her cheeks and suddenly she felt very afraid. "They...they really tried to...kill us?"

Applejack was stunned by this display. The unicorn she was almost certain was a Canterlot spy had broken down and started crying right in front of her. Why? Because she found out two of the hoodlum gang members of Ponyville had shot down her balloon while they were flying overhead? More and more Applejack was beginning to believe what Twilight was saying. The mare was weak. It was a game of who has the most power, and this unicorn had started crying right in the middle of it. No Royal Guard would have broken down and cried. Maybe Twilight really was a student in Canterlot. Just a scholar, used to the pleasantries of a city free of Sweets addiction and wealthy enough to support the happiness of the ponies who lived there. She knew nothing of hard times or desperate situations.

For a brief moment, Applejack remembered how she used to be. She used to always be nice and helpful. Ponyville used to be as good as Canterlot, not as big but just as good. Its ponies had lived in a community, not a warzone. She remembered the desperation and uncertainty and how it had made her feel. She cried herself to sleep often in those first weeks, after all the hard work she had done to keep the farm alive had failed. Twilight had now been forced to see a different world. A world that didn't give a buck about anypony.

Applejack was swept up in the moment. She identified with the sobbing unicorn. In a snapshot of who she used to be Applejack, she stood up and walked around the desk, laying a foreleg across the unicorn. She hadn't felt empathy in such a long time that her defenses fell away and she lost herself to the moment. "There there, Twi. It's all right. Come on now; ya can stay another night here with us. We'll talk tomorrow and figure out what ta do about yer assignment."

Twilight looked sadly at the earth pony and leaned against her. How could a town be so evil? Was the whole town this way? It couldn't possibly be...Applejack was helping her and had been nothing but kind. Maybe there was still hope for it. She couldn't think about it now; she was still overwhelmed at the attempt on her life over the balloon she rode. She felt terribly tired suddenly and she lay her head onto Applejack's shoulder and renewed her sobbing.

Twilight was escorted to the same room in which she had slept before and crawled into bed. She felt so tired and stressed that sleep came easily to her. Sometimes a mind needs to sleep so the subconcious can deal with the hard facts of life. Twilight's mind took her away to a happy dream, while her subconcious mind interpreted and made the concious mind able to deal with what had happened. Twilight would sleep long into the next day before her mind would be at ease enough to wake her up.

Applejack was furious with herself. How could she be so weak? She hadn't felt so sympathetic in years. She had trained herself to never feel that way towards another pony again. Or she thought she had.

The orange earth pony paced across her office. She had told Twilight she would help her get underway to Hoofington tomorrow. Buck. She should just march into the guest room and strangle the pathetic unicorn in her sleep. That damn unicorn had stirred her emotions and made her remember when she had friends and things were different. She couldn't afford to feel that way. She couldn't afford a lot of things right now. Twilight might still be a spy and this whole situation a device to escape Applejack and Sweet Apple Acres. Although she now seriously doubted that, Applejack couldn't let her leave the next day. If she really was a student of Celestia's, she might talk about the "medicine" she had gotten for Rainbow Dash and Celestia was probably not as stupid as the uncorn had been.

She would have to reneg on her deal, but how? She could just murder the unicorn. Grind her up, throw her into a ditch, and be done with her. BUCK! No, not if she really was a student of Celestia. That pompous bitch would definitely send Canterlot officials out to find out what happened to the unicorn if she went missing.

Applejack let out a frustrated sigh and kicked over one of the chairs in her office. She didn't need these feelings anymore. She didn't need this problem on top of everything else. She just wanted money and safety for her Family. Damn that Twilight Sparkle. Applejack would make an excuse to keep her here until she could be sure of how to handle her. But, what?

Hoofington, Magic of Friendship, such shit! As if friendship had any kind of magic. As if friendship could just make things magically all right. Just pick up all the broken lives of Ponyville and...what if friendship could help the ponies of Ponyville? Twilight could do her research into friendship magic right here! She could stay with Applejack for safe-keeping and make "friends" with all the ponies on the farm. Hopefully that would keep the little scholar busy until AJ could figure out a better way to deal with her.

Applejack grinned to herself. It was perfect. As of tomorrow, Twilight Sparkle would start making friends with all of the Apple Family.


	7. Making Decision and Living With Them

Chapter 7

Pinkamena Diane Pie had secretly contacted Golden Harvest, a pony Pinkamena had known since moving to Ponyville and the current leader of one of the larger gangs in Ponyville, the West Side Trotters. Pinkamena walked the dirty streets this night alone, with her saddlebags weighing heavy upon her. She had asked Fluttershy to accompany her and the night air might have done the fretful mare well, but she had declined the invitation. The yellow pegasus was skittish of nearly everything and a drug deal was out of the question for her. She had decided to stay in Sugar Cube Corner and monitor any further updates on Applejack's search for them. Flutters' refusal was not a big deal to Pinkamena. She was used to being alone.

Pinkamena had contacted Golden out of necessity, not friendship. She didn't consider herself friends with anypony except Flutters anymore and she simply knew Golden had a good deal of pull in Ponyville's streets. Golden had trusted Pinkie Pie at one time and Pinkamena had never given her reason to doubt her. Even though it had been several years since their last meeting, some shred of this trust must have remained, as her old friend had agreed to meet with her with as few bodyguards as possible.

The icing on the cake was that Golden Harvest had never liked Applejack. The two mares had been rivals in agriculture and sales before Ponyville had changed and that rivalry had led to more than one bitter exchange between the two. So, Pinkamena sought Golden out not only for her influence and presence on the streets, which would be instrumental to selling larger quantities of what she had begun calling Pink Dreamz, but also her hatred for the Apple Family, which would motivate her old friend to push Pinkamena's product especially hard. Pinkamena hoped her plan would pay off. This was her best chance at flying under the Apple Family's radar.

As Pinkamena wandered the dim streets, she saw several ponies she had known in the old days. At one time, she had known them all, but she had let many of their names and faces slip from memory since then. The flat-haired pink earth pony didn't speak a word to anypony but herself. Somewhere along the line, she had picked up a mumbling habit when she was alone. Pinkamena knew that she used to talk constantly; her reputation for being easily excitable and embarking on long-winded ramblings on a variety of subjects was known and, as she now realized, sometimes dreaded in the past. Now she muttered to herself just under her breath, so only she could hear. The mare didn't realize she even did it most of the time.

"Couple more blocks, 4th Avenue. Old cineplex. Shows dirty movies now; Golden's meeting place is in the basement. Use the alley entrance. Bitch better not have many guards." Pinkamena thought about her hoofgun in her saddlebag. If things went badly, she could blast her way out.

Pinkamena made the necessary turns until the cineplex came into view. The building was old and made of brick. It had been a part of Ponyville for nearly fifty years and showed its age. The bricks were dull and almost brown; the flickering lights displaying the words "XXX Two Mares One Trough" seemed to have barely enough intact light bulbs to justify having the sign. As Pinkamena paused to stare up at the sign for a moment, flickering images of what that sign was advertising interrupted her thoughts. She had seen it once; bored, and maybe the tiniest bit lonely, she had explored the town for something to do. Pinkamena's memory flickered. She saw a flash of a blue mare waiting happily and expectantly as a pastel yellow unicorn stood over her with a sick grin and...

She had known both the mares in the film. They were Sweets addicts and were probably tanked up on the drug and promised more after the completion of the scene. The tragedy of such films was that they were produced right there in Ponyville. No other town in Equestria made such disgusting filth for its citizens to enjoy. No other ponies would enjoy it. Pinkamena smirked to herself and made her way to the alleyway. "Pop-Tart and Tea Bag. Always were stupid. Freaks."

Pinkamena descended a short flight of stairs and, upon hearing her hooves on the metallic staircase, a large orange stallion opened a door and stuck his head out to investigate. His eyes were close together and his mane all but cut. He stared at the pink haired pony with dim eyes, as if he didn't quite understand what he was seeing.

"You s'posed to be here? You don't looks likes yas are."

"You don't look like you understand basic addition. Let me see Golden Harvest; I don't have time for this." Pinkamena didn't want to waste words on the idiotic pony. She was supposed to be here and he knew it. Doubtless, he was too dumb to carry out basic orders like "Let in a pink mare."

"I don't tink Golden's expectin' yas. She said a poofy head, not a flat head."

"If you don't let me in right now, I'll give you a flat head, flat head!" Pinkamena was getting angry and, even though she was confident the moron didn't know that "flat head" meant dumb or that he had inadvertently called her so, she had taken offense to it.

"Yeah, but..."

"For Celestia's sake T Bone, let her in!" Golden's voice rang out from the inside of the room. She was apparently annoyed with the situation as well.

"Yes ma'am, Golden." The brutish stallion opened the door fully and stepped out to let Pinkamena pass, which she did with a slight huff.

The room was terribly small and housed only a table big enough for four, several sacks of popping corn, and a shelf of assorted goods that were sold upstairs. At the back of the room was a staircase that most likely led up to the room behind the concession bar. Golden Harvest sat on one side of the table, but quickly stood up with a smile that showed off the shiny gold grills that mounted her upper teeth.

"Pinkie Pie! My dear old friend, I love what you have done with your mane! It's been too long, sweetie." Golden was a yellow earth pony with an orange mane that poofed up almost as much as Pinkie's once had. She wore a large smile and stood on her hind legs, opening her front legs to embrace the pink mare.

Pinkamena instantly became uncomfortable at the mention of her former name and, only for the sake of showing good intent, embraced the carrot cutie marked Golden Harvest. "Yes, a long time." Not nearly long enough, Pinkamena sneered to herself. She grimaced at the other earth pony and added, "It's Pinkamena now. I don't go by Pinkie anymore."

Golden put on a disappointed look and held the pink mare at foreleg's length. Her voice was different, lower and monotone as if she were without emotion. She didn't have the trademark Pinkie hair, jubilance, or smile. Things really were hard on everypony if Pinkie Pie had changed this much. Maybe she had gotten into the Sweets. "Honey, you look so … so different. Is everything all right? Do you need something? A drink, something to eat, something to snort?"

Pinkamena sighed and tried not to visually roll her eyes at the mare. "I'm fine, Golden. I'm better now than I ever used to be." How Harvest had ever become the leader of a gang was beyond Pinkamena's understanding. Pinkamena knew she had organized the West Side in defense of their community when the Royal Guards had abandoned them, but how she stayed in power was baffling. She spoke sweetly and with such a convincing consideration for other ponies. "I came here to talk to …"

The door flew open as a pastel purple pegasus mare flipped through the air to crash, face first, against the table in the center of the room, disturbing Pinkamena and Golden Harvest's conversation. Golden stood quickly and, with a most unfriendly glare, kicked the floundering pegasus between the eyes, ending her squirming as she went unconscious. "T Bone! What the buck is this?"

The large earth pony had been on the other side of the door guarding it from intrusion. He strode inside and shrugged. "She was snoopin' round in the alley. She's one a' them Vipers, Harvest. She had this knife." T Bone tossed a thin bladed knife onto the table. It was easily concealable and was primarily a defensive weapon. "She had it in her mouth as she started down the stairs. She tried ta run when she saw me. I tink she wanted ta stab yer friend wid it."

The Vipers were a small gang from a section of town close to Golden's West Side. They generally didn't cause problems for Golden, but they could be a nuisance from time to time. Golden Harvest looked the mare over and tried to recognize her, but she didn't know the pony. "Good work, T Bone. I don't know why she would be interested in this conversation with Pinkie, but she won't be awake for it."

Pinkamena knew the Pegasus; perhaps she still knew most of the ponies of Ponyville after all. Shimmer Shine. She was the sister to the stallion she had shot and killed for tormenting and preparing to burn Fluttershy. The pink earth pony had wondered if the Vipers might send somepony for retribution for killing one of their members. She doubted it. Shimmer was hot headed and had, most likely, come alone to seek vengeance on Pinkamena. The Vipers rarely stepped out of their boundaries and those gang members who did were left to their own devices in the territories surrounding them. They weren't strong enough to take on bigger gangs yet and their policy was the defense of their turf. If a pony was fool enough to get herself killed in other hoods, it was her own fault and not the responsibility of the gang.

Pinkamena had lost her Pinkie Sense long ago. She didn't know whether it was due to her change in emotions or the constant source of danger, but it rarely spoke to her anymore. Shimmer was proof. It should have told her she had been followed. Pinkamena logically concluded that Shimmer had coincidentally crossed paths with her and stalked her in the hopes to shank her in the back in a secluded alley. The pale purple pegasus was smart, but prone to erratic behavior when her temper flared, which could easily ignite, and seeing her brother's murderer had probably sparked her anger. An easy stalk, stab, walk away chance was hard to pass up.

Golden Harvest grumbled and looked up to T Bone, barking orders, "Wake her up and find out why she followed Pinkie." Her voice had become iron and her intentions venomous. If she had to, she would remind the Vipers not to mess with the Trotters. That included messing with their guests. If another gang in her territory had harmed Pinkie just outside of one of her meeting places, she would look weak.

"I killed her brother for trying to burn Fluttershy alive. She probably wanted revenge." Pinkamena looked at the pegasus for a moment and then kicked her hard in the ribs, causing her to stir and moan. "It's not your problem, Harvest. I doubt she wants anything to do with you."

"I would agree with that. T Bone, take her out back and shoot her. Then toss her into the garbage. Pinkie is my friend and my guest. You don't buck with the Trotters' friends." Harvest hadn't expected Pinkie to kick the mare. She had expected happy-go-lucky Pinkie Pie to laugh and smile and forgive the pegasus. She said she had killed. What else had her partying pony friend been up to?

Pinkamena grinned at the thought and realized why Golden Harvest was still in control. She was nice and friendly until she was crossed and then she was hard and unfeeling. Pinkie wondered which was the real Harvest and which was an act. It didn't really matter; if what Golden had said was true, then Pinkamena may just acquire the protection she needed. If Golden would agree to her business proposal, then secrecy would be the first line of defense and the West Side Trotters her second. It could be nice to be located safely within the West Side's territory if Applejack got wind of who was making the drugs taking away from her business.

Golden watched as T Bone dragged the semi-conscious pegasus back out the door. The scowl on her elegant face disappeared as the door shut and a bright smile returned as she sat in her chair again and faced Pinkamena. "I'm so sorry for the disturbance, Pinkie."

"Stop calling me, that. Pinkie Pie is dead, Harvest. It's just me now, Pinkamena." The annoyance of being referred to as Pinkie was eating away at the stability in her mind.

"You'll always be Pinkie to me." Golden's smile was one of pure friendship. Of smiles, hugs, rainbows, and good times with loved ones.

"No, I won't! Pinkie Pie was a weak fool! She died a long time ago. Don't call me that name again!" Pinkamena slammed her hooves on the desk and stood up in a short outburst. She breathed hard and, for only a moment, lost control of herself. She hated the smile on Harvest's face. She wasn't her friend. Pinkamena would use her to distribute drugs and Harvest would use her to make the drugs. Together they would make lots of bits, but at no part of the deal was there a friendship. Pinkamena would never trust anypony enough to be their friend again. Fluttershy's face flashed into her mind; no, she didn't even trust Fluttershy. She just knew the pathetic mare was too cowardly to turn against her.

Golden's smile died and, for a moment, she considered striking Pinkie. She dropped the friendly act and stood up, getting eye level with the pink mare, as it was important to show her strength. Pinkie had shocked her with the display, but she wouldn't show it. She would show her she could be a bitch if crossed. "Yeah? Well what's Pinkamena want with me then?" She stared into the blue eyes of the pink mare and grinned. She absently wondered how far Pinkie had fallen. She had said she killed the pegasus' brother, so maybe she was harder than she had initially given her credit. She liked the irony of the party pony turning vicious.

The wicked grin spread on Pinkamena's cheeks and in her eyes danced the sprites of insanity. Harvest then understood that Pinkie's madness hadn't disappeared or gotten lost in the fog of depression and despair. No, it had stuck with her as she became Pinkamena; it just wasn't good-natured anymore.

Faced with the embodiment of Pinkamena's madness, Harvest felt a shiver run through her. The good Pinkie was capable of many acts of insanity; a dark Pinkie could be frightening.

Pinkamena jolted Harvest back into reality as she opened her saddlebags and, without ceremony, dumped several miniature cakes of powder onto the table between them. "Business, Harvest."

Scootaloo had snuck downstairs into the basement level with an apple for Rainbow Dash after escorting Twilight around the farm with Apple Bloom and that other bitch. Twilight had been easily kept from wandering too closely to the secret areas of Sweet Apple Acres, but it had taken almost the entire day. Scoots had worried the whole time about Dash. The multicolored mare had been pretty sick when she had come across her and she hoped AJ had given her some sweets. The pegasus filly was relieved to finally be back and able to check on Rainbow Dash.

Scoots paused at the door to Rainbow's usual room and a shiver ran through the filly. Even in the early evening, the cold of the room was permeating the sturdy door. How could anypony sleep inside a room like that? Using her hoof, she knocked lightly and waited for a moment, walking back to the stairs and looking up them to make sure a certain white unicorn know-it-all wasn't following her. She felt satisfied and turned back to the door. It was still shut and she knocked again with her hoof, harder this time.

Nothing.

Images of Rainbow Dash's corpse flooded her mind. She had been frightened once today already, thinking Rainbow had died from her withdrawal, and she jumped right back into that dread. She almost didn't want to open the door. If she opened it and Dash was lying in a puddle of her own bloody vomitus, Scootaloo wasn't sure she wanted to see it. On the other hoof, if she didn't check and Rainbow wasn't dead but dying and Scoot could save her...

She had to open the door to see what was on the other side. She forced herself to be calm. Get a grip, Scootaloo, she thought to herself. AJ just gave her Sweets and she passed out like normal. Holding her breath, she pushed on the door and it swung open only a crack. The light was off and the darkness devoured the room. A wave of cold brought chill bumps to the young mare and her tiny wings fluttered momentarily to shake the cold away. Peering into the inky blackness, the filly softly uttered Rainbow's name.

There was no response from the void before the filly. Even though Scootaloo had witnessed terrible acts of violence in her life in The Apple Family and understood at her young age that the real monsters were the ones you saw on a daily basis, she felt frightened. She slowly planted one hoof in front of the other until she found herself within the depth of the void and her eyes strained to see anything in the smothering blackness. "Dash? Are you in here?"

Something stirred in the darkness and Scootaloo's heart nearly stopped. "Dash? Is that you?"

A moan rippled the darkness as if something had woken up underground and crawled its way from the grave. Scootaloo gasped and her mind cried out at the thought of zomponies. Damn those late night shows that Apple Bloom liked to watch! The filly held her breath again as she backed away from where the sound had come and towards the only source of light in the room, the open doorway.

The thing groaned again and Scootaloo shrieked loudly.

"Shut up already! Just leave me the buck alone and let me lay here!" Rainbow Dash's voice sounded pained and wispy as if she were out of breath. She didn't know who was in the room with her, but hoped it wasn't Applejack. She had taken enough abuse for one day.

Scootaloo felt incredibly stupid for being afraid of the dark, especially when she bumped into the chain connected to the hanging bulb of the room. She grabbed it in her mouth and yanked. Light splashed across the concrete room and spread across Dash's form huddling on her burlap bedding. Scoot saw the bruising under Dash's left eye and the dried blood across her muzzle. She was huddling for warmth and grimaced when she lifted her head up to see who was disturbing her, letting out a throaty moan from the pain the movement caused. Scootaloo gasped and ran to the trembling Dash.

"Squirt? What are you doing down here again? I'm not in the mood to tell you any stories right now, okay? Just leave me alone." Rainbow's voice came out in tremors from the shakes she was experiencing.

"But you're sick still…"

"Yeah? So? I'm always sick. Are you going to go get me beat up like that Twilight unicorn did?" She coughed hoarsely and moaned as the motion inflamed her aching ribs. One was definitely broken.

"Twilight got you beat up? How did she do that?" Scootaloo thought the unicorn was nice. She kneeled before the blue mare and nuzzled her neck gently.

"She said she'd go get me some Sweets and then told Applejack on me or something. AJ dragged me down here and…" She looked away as if the memory hurt more than the result. "Well, I deserved it I guess. Buck Twilight. It's her fault."

Scootaloo was looking at the floor. There was dried blood on the concrete and she sighed. Rainbow needed to get over the Sweets and get out of here. This wasn't the first time Scootaloo had witnessed Applejack's handiwork on Rainbow. She had seen it a few times now and worried it would keep happening. She felt conflicted. Applejack had taken her in and given her a home and a place in the Apple Family after her parents had abandoned her. Applejack had made sure she had enough to eat and was teaching her how to be part of the business. Scoot owed Applejack a lot… Rainbow groaned again and Scoot felt rage welling up within her. Buck Applejack; she wanted to stab the bitch through the eye with a stick.

She deserved that … and much worse. Applejack did things like this to Rainbow Dash too often. Not usually beatings, but other forms of abuse. Rainbow could barely take care of herself and Applejack kicked her around, laughed at her, and made her work awful jobs. All the while, lording the drugs Dash needed over her in order to keep her as a plaything. Maybe someday, when Scoot was stronger, she'd show Applejack what it felt like to be on the receiving end of that… Her and that snotty little Sweetie Belle. She and Dash could even do it together, if only … Scootaloo grimaced and looked at Dash angrily.

"Why can't you just get off the Sweets? You used to be better than Applejack. You don't have to be treated this way. You could get well again if you just stopped taking the Sweets. I'm…Dash, I'm afraid you'll die if you don't." Scootaloo fought back tears of anger and frustration as she challenged the mare to look into her eyes.

Rainbow looked down and eased her head into the fold of her front left foreleg. "I wish I would sometimes, Squirt."

Scootaloo reached out and slapped the mare angrily before she realized she had done it. She didn't want to hear Rainbow's self-pity. She wanted to hear Rainbow get angry or defensive like she used to. She wanted the over confident, awesome, too busy being cool to hang out with the likes of you Rainbow Dash to come back. "Shut up! Why are you like this? You were my idol once, Dash! I looked up to you. I wanted to be you! When did you become such a loser?"

Dash looked angry for a moment, but everything the filly had said had been true. She was a loser. She had failed Applejack and turned to Sweets. She deserved to be beaten down and miserable for the rest of her life. Dash hated when Applejack was upset with her and she had deserved it this time. Her plan to get Twilight to steal drugs from Applejack's desk had been out of desperation and had backfired totally. She had taken each blow the Apple mare had given her without attempting to dodge. The physical pain was bad, but nothing compared to the breaking of her heart. She kept failing. She had broken Applejack's trust with this scheme and deserved the beating. She kept making Applejack think less of her.

Rainbow, at one time, had dreams of snuggling with the orange cow-mare happily forever. Applejack had thought highly of Dash and Dash knew it. She had hoped that one day AJ would tell her she had feelings for her and then they could be together. That was when AJ thought well of her. Due to her constant failings, the earth pony she cared about saw her as worthless and only kept her around because they had been friends once. Rainbow didn't deserve Applejack's friendship anymore, much less her love. She needed Sweets. She wanted to get away from her pains and aching heart. She remembered the filly was with her. "You want to hit me too, Squirt? Go ahead. I deserve it. I'm not worth your time either."

Scootaloo felt sorry for Dash and regretted hitting her, even if it was just a tap really. She was no better than Applejack. No…that wasn't true. She wanted Rainbow Dash to stand up for herself and get well and Applejack wanted to keep her in submission and hurt her. Scoot sighed and produced the apple she had brought with her, pushing it under Rainbow's sore nose. "I brought you this. You need to eat it to keep your body strong. Did Applejack give you any Sweets?"

Rainbow scoffed and pushed the apple away with her muzzle. "No. She won't let me have any for two more days."

"Two days? That's a long time for you. You really need to eat or you might not make it."

"So what, Scoots? Do you really think I matter around here? Would it really be that different if I died? Nopony would give a buck. Nopony cares about me anymore. I don't deserve it."

Scootaloo sighed sadly and pushed the apple back to Rainbow before standing up. She had resigned from the conversation. Rainbow was a lost cause until she found some token of self-esteem still floating inside her drug-addicted body.

Rainbow watched as Scoot slowly began walking from the unhealthily cool room. The orange pegasus couldn't understand how she felt. For what reason did Dash have to give up the drugs that took her from the bitter real world and offered some sort of solace from the monumental failure that was her life? Nopony would miss her when the Sweets finally killed her. She would be just one more corpse in the ground unloved, unmissed, and full of regrets.

The filly paused at the door for a moment, turned back and looked at Dash with fresh tears in her eyes.

"I would care, Dash. You're still my hero…"

It was late and night had long since fallen, but a small creature had made his way through the Ponyville streets and beneath Sugar Cube Corner to an entrance through which only the smallest animals could fit. The bunny crawled up through the floorboards of Sugar Cube Corner, his white coat dotted with bits of soil from the secret entrance into the building where his friend Fluttershy lived. He loved Fluttershy and couldn't wait to visit her again. He bore a giant smile as he pushed up the loose tile that was the end of the tunnel into the domicile.

The bunny looked around the room; he didn't understand the difference between a clean room and a messy room, so he paid no attention to the unkempt state in which the two mares who lived here kept the room. Crawling out of the floor for better vantage, he searched for the yellow pegasus. As she wasn't in this room, the bunny hopped happily into the next room and rejoiced in seeing his friend lying on the piece of furniture called a "couch". The mare wasn't paying attention and appeared to be lost in thought. The bunny smirked and began sneaking towards her. He was going to make an entrance.

Bunnies knew about silence—they had to because of their natural predators—and he stealthily made the long open distance between the doorway and the side of the couch in a short dash. He pressed himself against the side of the couch and tilted his long ears towards the pony. She hadn't heard him and he dropped as low as he could get and crawled around the edge of the couch to the direction the pegasus faced.

The bunny crept to just underneath the yellow mare with a pink mane and peeped his tiny head up over the cushions of the couch, tiny eyes peering up at the pony. She didn't notice and he eased his head back underneath the cushion to where she wouldn't be able to see. He prepared himself, shifting his weight to his back legs, and…

Out of nowhere, a creature leaped onto the couch in front of Fluttershy with its tiny front legs extended into the air above its head and mouth wide open as if saying TADAH! Fluttershy made a start and jerked back with a nervous grimace across her lips, but smiled and leaned down to nuzzle it after seeing it was only one of her bunny friends. This one had a small circular brown patch on his back and she called him Spotsy. Spotsy was unusually prone to making his appearance known in more a grandiloquent fashion than other bunnies. Fluttershy was happy to see Spotsy; she had been receiving troubling updates from her animal companions over the course of the last day.

She had asked if her friends would let her know what was going on at Sweet Apple Acres. They had been more than happy to spend their time frolicking around the farm and watching the Apple ponies. Already Fluttershy had received a lot of information regarding the Apples; it was shocking how much tiny furry creatures witnessed each day. She wondered what news Spotsy had brought her. "Oh, Spotsy, I'm so glad to see you. Have you been a good bunny?" The yellow pegasus answered her own question with a baby talk tone used by only the most shameless animal lovers, "I know you have. I think I have some sunflower kernels for you."

The bunny excitedly waved his upper legs in anticipation of the tasty treat as the mare revealed a small brown bag with the top rolled down on itself. Moments later, she had produced several delicious kernels and the bunny savored their flavor while the mare watched him with a smile. Spotsy tried not waste too much of his time with the mare eating and so he stashed the last seed for later and motioned urgently, with a secretive expression crossing his tiny features as if the empty room might be doubling as a spy, and whispered, in bunny talk, into Fluttershy's ear.

"Oh, I see…Oh my…and then what happened? Goodness…and they all broke out in song?" Fluttershy had learned long before that Spotsy was a very clever bunny and tended to embellish some details to the point of disbelief but she never let on that she didn't believe those parts. Bunnies were fragile things and that applied to their feelings as well. The mare smiled at the bunny and planted a gentle kiss right between his ears. She started to speak again, but the sound of a key cracking the locks out of place took her attention and she looked away for a moment. Pinkie was home; she was happy about that. She had been very worried for Pinkie's safety. She turned back to the bunny, but he was gone and on a quick inspection, she saw him at the doorway waving goodbye to her before disappearing around the doorframe and back into the tunnel beneath the loose tile.

Fluttershy was relieved the bunny had left after he had told her what he had seen. His testimony was one of several that indicated that Applejack had a new unicorn working for her and that thought scared Fluttershy. What if this unicorn was being paid to divine Pinkie's identity? Magic wasn't something Fluttershy knew a great deal about, but she had seen or heard of many spells and discerning a location or identity seemed possible to the mare. She would need to warn Pinkie. The shy mare hated the thought of something happening to Pinkie, her only remaining friend. Fleetingly, she wondered if a powerful magic spell could return them to the day the Flim Flam brothers showed up. Maybe somepony could stop Applejack from making that bet that cost her everything. Fluttershy wasn't the most intelligent pony, but she could trace events back to that day and was confident that was when the troubles started for not just Applejack, but all of Ponyville.

Fluttershy sighed and heard Pinkie muttering something to herself, a habit Flutters thought might be a sign of psychological instability, but this was Pinkie Pie and she hadn't exactly been the most mentally stable pony. She hoped her business with Golden Harvest had gone well. She waited patiently, pushing her worries to the back of her mind for a moment, and realized that Pinkie was slurring her words to herself. Flutters sighed to herself. She was probably high or drunk, something Fluttershy also worried about, but she had been through a lot and blaming her for her problems seemed cruel.

Fluttershy was very happy to be living with Pinkie and helping her when she needed, but sometimes seeing her hurt the pegasus deeply. Pinkie Pie had always been so full of love and happiness. She was always waiting with a joke or story—the pony loved to talk to a fault—and Fluttershy had always enjoyed her company even though Pinkie's outgoing personality adversely mirrored her own. It was actually nice to have somepony around who loved attention and was more than happy to that attention away from the shy pegasus. Flutters disliked being forced to engage others; she was more than happy to be a face in the crowd, or even better, hiding behind the crowd. Pinkie, however, had devoured it, making others happy with her antics, songs, and parties. It was her calling in life and without it, well…

"Shlippery…plashe ish a mesh…heh heh. Shhimmer…buck!"

Fluttershy heard Pinkie's hooves clacking as she skittered around the tiled kitchen as if she couldn't control her legs properly, followed by a heavy thud as she stumbled and fell against something.

"Oof! Bucking floor. Moving like…that."

Drunk. Pinkie was drunk. The pegasus got to her hooves and walked into the kitchen to check on her friend. She found Pinkie leaning with her back against the refrigerator. Her eyes were angry, red and drooping, and she held a bottle of something curled in one of her forelegs. Fluttershy could smell the strong alcohol from across the room. Pinkie hadn't noticed her yet and was busy telling the refrigerator off for being a useless hunk of metal and yanking her legs out from underneath her. Flutters frowned as Pinkie punched the appliance for, apparently, talking back to her. Maybe she should just let Pinkie be Pinkie by herself where she could curse herself, and other more inanimate objects, until she fell asleep. It wouldn't be long and she looked like it would benefit her mood and physical shape.

"Shhhy!"

Too late.

"Shhhy, make one of your...hic...your bear friendsh kill this bucking thing. It…it'sh rude!" Pinkamena slurred angrily and pointed a hoof in the general direction of the appliance.

Fluttershy walked to Pinkie and sat before her. "Umm…okay. Pinkie, do you need help getting to bed?" She had never been struck by Pinkie Pie, but was still nervous that the drunken mare might think that she was a dishwasher or oven and take a swipe.

"Noooo. I want…hic…to talk to you. It'sh been a good night, Shhhy. Harvesht ish gonna shell our shtuff and…we'll be rich. What do…you…hic…want with your money? I'll buy…hic…anything you deshire." Pinkamena's eyes were opening and closing independent of each other as if synchronicity were a figment of her imagination.

"Oh, Pinkie, I don't need anything; I'm happy to be here with you, my best friend." Fluttershy wanted Pinkie to be normal again so badly. No more drugs, no more drinks, just happy go lucky Pinkie Pie bouncing around making people happy. A small smile crept across her face at the thought. "Well, there could be…no, it's too much trouble."

Pinkamena grinned mischievously and decided to tease the mare, remembering, in her hazy mind, that Fluttershy was largely unchanged by the cruelty of Ponyville. She chuckled, "You wanna go shee thoshe moviesh in the theatre, don't you? Two Mares One Trough is still playing…heh."

Fluttershy's face screwed up in horror at the thought of that movie. Pinkie had told her what had happened in it once and she had nearly become sick. She couldn't bear the thought of how depraved and addicted those ponies must have been to do something like that. It hurt her heart to think about it. "N-n…no. I don't want to see something like that. I want something else." She knew what she really wanted was a long shot.

"Oh yeah? What'sh that? Hic!" The intoxicated pink pony managed to stop the room from spinning long enough to get a good look at Fluttershy.

"I want you to throw a party, Pinkie." Fluttershy braced herself for whatever reply Pinkie might launch her way. Parties were a very sore subject for her, like a wound that wouldn't heal…with salt ground into it, doused in iodine, and set on fire. Some of Pinkie's previous reactions to the mention of parties were bad language, broken furniture, and, on one occasion, a fire that Fluttershy barely managed to contain when Pinkie decided, while high, that the only way to erase those memories was to burn down Sugar Cube Corner.

Pinkamena grumbled and glared daggers at the yellow mare who cowered beneath the vicious vision of the pink pony. She took another swig from the bottle cradled in her left leg before speaking. "Don't ruin…the fun. It'sh been a loooooong time shince I've felt thish…good. Golden ish gonna sell what I make…hic…fifty fifty, Shhhy. We'll make lotsh of bitsh! Don't buck thish up for me…hic!"

"I'm sorry, Pinkie. But, um…well, you did ask what I wanted."

"Well thatsh NEVER happening again! And SHTOP calling me PINKIE! Ssshhe'sh DEAD! I'm not…hic…ever going to be that shtupid again. NEVER!" Pinkamena fell to her back from her sitting position and floundered her legs like a foal in a tantrum as she yelled.

"But you're not dead and…and I miss you." Fluttershy didn't like when Pinkie screamed, especially not at her, and tears dripped down her cheeks as she turned and galloped back into the living room.

Pinkamena, while drunk, still heard the quiet sobbing of the yellow pegasus and, if she was honest with herself, her only remaining friend. Pinkamena was still bitter about the ordeal, but couldn't listen to Flutters crying like that. She felt guilty for yelling as she had; drunk or not, she shouldn't have made an outburst like that at Fluttershy. She grumbled and fought the spinning room for control of her body. "Stupid. Bucking idiot. Kept mouth shut. Ruining everything."

Somehow, the room lost the battle and Pinkamena made it to her hooves shakily. She groaned and trotted a weaving line into the living room in search of the crying pegasus. Pinkamena took a moment and stabled herself before she walked around the couch where Flutters was lying. "Shhy. I don't…"

"Applejack is going to kill you. She might me too, but definitely you. She has a unicorn now. My animal friends told me she did. If she uses her magic to find you then Applejack will kill you." Fluttershy gushed quickly and wiped her eyes, turning away from Pinkamena.

Pinkamena leaned one way for a moment and then the other as she fought gravity. A unicorn? That might spell trouble for them, but Golden Harvest might have means to counter magical spying. She would have to ask on her next trip to supply Harvest. "Buck Applejack. Shhe won't kill ush. I won't let her. Hic. Ish that what you…wanted? A going away party?" The flat-haired pony flopped onto the couch next to Fluttershy and laid a foreleg across her back, trying to console the mare.

"No. It's…it's stupid anyway."

"What was it? Hic."

"I thought that…maybe if we used the bits from the…umm…illegal cakes to start a party service you might feel happy again. You need to be happy, Pinki…err...Pinkamena. If I could get what I wanted, it would be to see you be happy again." Fluttershy faced Pinkamena and bolstered the courage to look into her eyes, wiping her own free of tears, but still looking pitiful.

Pinkamena looked down and sighed. "Shy, it…won't work. Poniesh don't want…hic…parties in Ponyville anymore. They just want drugs and violence."

"We could cater to Canterlot until we made enough money to move away from here. Please, Pinkamena. We don't have to stay here."

Pinkamena sighed and leaned her head back onto the worn cushions of the couch. She didn't want to party anymore. She had never wanted to party again after the last time. She rubbed her hoof across Fluttershy's back and leaned her head down against her shoulder, pink hair flowing across the pegasus' sides. "I can't, Shhy…not after what happened last time."

Flutters thought that maybe Pinki…Pinkamena might feel better. A party gone wrong had sent her into the pit and maybe a good party could help her climb back out. It was worth a chance. If Applejack found them, it wouldn't matter anyway, so why not try and bring her friend back? "Just the two of us, Pinkamena. We'll have a party together because we're friends. Nopony else has to come. I'd be happy with that."

A groan escaped the pink earth pony as the energy from the alcohol in her system waned and sleep began to knock at her door. Pinkamena opened her bloodshot eyes and found Fluttershy's face, pleading for her wish to come true. Pinkamena resigned from the argument and nodded. She didn't enjoy seeing Flutters upset because of her; she was the only good thing left in Ponyville. "When we make…enough bitsh. I'll make one more party for…hic…you, Shhy. Just one…cause you're the only pony…who desherves it…"

Fluttershy nuzzled the nearly asleep Pinkamena and hoped her plan would work. Maybe things would be better. There was always a chance; she believed that. Things couldn't always be bad. It couldn't rain all the time. "Thank you, Pinkamena. Thank you."

"Fluttershhy?"

"Yes?"

"It'sh Pinkie."

Morning swept the countryside of Equestria in an orange glow that beckoned the sleeping world to wake and rejoice, for Celestia had raised the sun once more for her beloved ponies. The small animals of the forests awoke and scurried about branches and fields in search of morning's breakfast while their soaring counterparts dove and spiraled in the morning air, excited about the new day. In Canterlot, businesses were opening and ponies were greeting each other with gusto as their happy day began. In similar towns across Equestria, the morning breathed new life into each and every citizen and filled them with a sense of happiness. Morning had come and a brand new day would begin for them. It was another day to make new friends and celebrate those they already knew. Except in Ponyville.

At Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight had gathered her things and waited to leave. She had not gotten over the revelation that Applejack had brought about and the sadness felt nearly unshakeable. They had tried to kill her and Spike over the bits the balloon would make. The unicorn had never heard of anything so selfish in her life. Ponyville must have been in a terrible shape to breed ponies with natures so cruel. She sat on the bed of the room in which she had been staying and sighed morosely.

Spike had visited her earlier, but she had sent him away to gather the few possessions he had brought with them. His attempts at cheering her up had failed completely. Twilight decided it was time to ask Applejack to help her contact Princess Celestia; all she really needed was some parchment and a pen. She could have Spike magically send her letter to the Princess and, with hope, be back on her way to Hoofington soon, though the prospect of finding friends was like mud in her ears. She didn't feel up to it anymore.

Twilight stood and, head hanging lowly, stepped towards the door. To her surprise, somepony knocked on the other side before she reached it. The unicorn hoped it wasn't the fillies with breakfast again; she really didn't think she would make good company this morning.

The lavender unicorn was surprised when Applejack stood on the other side of the doorway. Twilight opened the door and attempted a feeble smile for the cow- mare. "Hello, Applejack. I was just coming to see you."

"Good mornin', Sugar Cube. I hope yer feelin' a might better n' you were last night." The country mare put on her best show of feeling for the unicorn. This had to go correctly. She had to convince Twilight to stay.

"Not really, but thank you. I was hoping you could let me use some paper to write a letter to the Princess so I can get my balloon repaired and get to Hoofington. I still have my assignment to finish." Twilight spoke with little mirth. Her task was, once again, a duty she had to perform and not a joyful experience.

Applejack plucked the despondency from Twilight's words and studied it. "Ah see. Still wantin' ta get back in the air an' to another town? Ah cain't say Ah blame ya too much fer wantin' to leave. What was yer assignment again?"

"To study the 'Magic of Friendship.'" Twilight spoke with sarcasm oozing from her words. If this was any indication of what she could expect from other ponies, she would rather be alone.

"Ah thought that was it. Well, listen here, Sugar Cube. I been thinkin' about that." She paused and smiled as Twilight looked up with just a hint of interest resting in her eyes. "Well, ya've only been here two days an' already ya've made some friends. Apple Bloom won't hush about how much she likes ya. Shoot, none of them fillies will hush about ya. Especially Sweetie Belle. That little varmint thinks yer the greatest thing since sliced apples, bein' a unicorn and all. She was askin' me just a little while ago if you would be stayin'. Ah think she wants ya ta help her with her magic. She doesn't know much yet an' her sister doesn't do a lot with her own magic. She's one a' them fashion designers and all her magic is used fer getting' measurements right an' stuff."

Twilight liked the fillies and the prospect of helping Sweetie sounded pretty nice to her, but Hoofington was where she was supposed to be. "Yes, I did notice that Sweetie didn't seem to use her magic very often. I can't delay anymore, though; I should have been in Hoofington by now. I should really be on my way; I can't trouble you any longer either."

"Trouble? Y'all ain't no trouble, Twi. You or yer friend, Spike. Ah like that yer here. I wish y'all could stay. Ah mean, there are plenty of folks here on the farm for ya ta become friends with. You could help Sweetie an' the way you tried to help Rainbow Dash th'other day was nothing short of friendly. Y'er a good'n Twi. Cain't say we see a whole lot like you 'round these parts. I bet if more ponies were like y'all Ponyville'd be a right nice place to live. Things here have perked up since ya've been here. Ah ain't felt so good in a long time." Applejack tried to lay it on thick. She wanted to make the best argument she could before resorting to more drastic means of keeping the unicorn. The orange mare, in truth, had felt happy the night before, which was a liability. She hadn't hugged another pony out of affection or empathy in years and yet Twilight had sparked her to such acts. It had thoroughly pissed her off, but she could overlook that for now. She still needed to make sure that the lavender mare was who she said she was.

Twilight listened, her mind opening up to the idea somewhat. What if all Ponyville needed was a pony to show it what friendship was? "Well, I like you too, Applejack. You've been nothing but kind to us during our stay here. I'd like to think we're friends."

"Darn tootin' we are, Sugar Cube. Y'er like a whole mess of apples, sweet, good, and nutritious for the soul. Ah'd like it if ya would stay. What's Hoofington got that we don't have right here in Ponyville?" Applejack hoped the unicorn would continue becoming interested in staying. If Twilight's intentions were what she claimed, there were possibilities that opened up with having a capable magic user like Twilight around. Magic could accomplish more than what Applejack wanted to admit and, if Twi could tutor Sweetie Belle, it would only make Sweet Apple Acres better in the future.

Twilight thought for a moment. Hoofington probably was a better town, more like Canterlot, without the crime and desperate ponies lurking the streets, but that meant it would also have less of a challenge to offer. What if Twilight turned this whole town around just by injecting friendship into it like a vaccine? She could be the antidote for an entire populace! That would easily secure her position as favored student. Time magic, time shmagic; this would directly affect the ponies of Ponyville. It would at least be an interesting study into the cultural differences of individual populations. It was less safe, but higher risks yielded higher gains. The Princess would be so proud of her if she could discover the Magic of Friendship and use it to immediately benefit an unhappy segment of her citizens. A smile began to creep across Twilight's face.

Applejack watched the mare's head lift as she ventured into her imagination. When the smile began to spread, Applejack knew she had to seize the moment and drive the point home. If she could secure the unicorn into staying on at the farm, it would mean she didn't have to worry about the unicorn spilling too much information to the wrong ponies and she could keep a close eye on her. "Does that mean y'all are gonna stay? Ponyville didn't always use ta be so bad. Ah bet ya'd be a real positive influence on it. Ya could stay right her on the farm with us so ya'd be safe. If ya wanted to go inta Ponyville, Ah'd make sure somepony went with ya."

Twilight might be bending the rules staying in Ponyville instead of going to Hoofington, but this town had a much higher success margin. The positive influence she brought would reflect greatly upon her abilities. Ponyville could work out better than Hoofington ever could because it would immediately show the benefits of the Magic of Friendship. There would be a lot to learn, but a lot to teach and Twilight Sparkle was just the unicorn to do it. For the first time since her revelation, she smiled happily. "I would need to inform the Princess of the change of plans and get permission, but I think you are right, Applejack. I would like to stay here with you and make friends. And, maybe you are right, too, that I can help Ponyville. With ponies like you teaching me what it is to be a friend, I am sure I won't fail." Twilight hopped to her back legs and kicked with her front legs in celebration.

Applejack grinned and joined the celebrating mare. Perfect. Keep the nosey little brat under watch and let her make friends with whomever she wants…under Applejack's watchful eye, of course. Unicorns think they're so smart, Applejack chuckled to herself. Ah'll put that little brain to work fer me and she won't even know it. "Let me go get ya that paper y'asked for, Twi. Ah'll come back for lunch and maybe we can go on a picnic…er somethin'."

In the Sweet Apple Acres cellar storage room, Rainbow Dash had still not fallen asleep and her stomach convulsed into a tight ball in an attempt to expel its contents. Unfortunately for her stomach, it had long since regurgitated the apple Scootaloo had brought it. Not one to betray its cause to reason, it continued to squeeze until some of the muscle tissue ripped and fresh blood streamed in a short jet across the floor of the storage room.

Rainbow Dash could hardly move; the shakes were so strong they practically owned her body and trapped Dash's tired and aching mind in the prison she had made for it. She had kicked her way loose of the bedding on which she usually slept and made a half circle around the room, leaving a nasty streak of dirt, urine, and fecal matter in her wake.

Rainbow Dash was misery. The multicolored mare had never been this badly off before. Her body could scarcely draw breath from the tremors that racked her and every inch felt as if fire ants were devouring her. She could feel her heart skipping beats and then picking up several extra to make up for the ones it missed. Rainbow was confident she would die soon and it would be so good. She wished for the hoof of death to take her soul away from the diseased body it inhabited.

She had no such luck. Rainbow Dash's body was strong of will and it refused to die. It may have become weak and dependent, but it was not a quitter. It had never lost its will power as her mind had and so it thrashed, kicked, and screamed against the withdrawal, refusing to give in. If Rainbow's mind had given up, it was her body's purpose to survive until the mind could wake the buck up and fight for itself. It would take a lot more than just physical dependency to take down this hard bitch.

Her body fought but, regrettably for Dash, she resided in her mind and could only suffer through the pain. Rainbow Dash had thought that being rejected by the Wonder Bolts was the lowest she had ever felt, but not anymore. She had now truly hit rock bottom. Unable to control the body she inhabited and sleeplessly forced to endure the worst pain imaginable, she discovered what the lowest point of existence was. At some point, her exhausted mind began playing events back to her.

Rainbow watched as she and Applejack competed in contests and laughed with each other. She saw Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity and remembered the fun they used to have as a group. She had been there to help them and they had been there to cheer for her at flying competitions. Lots of ponies had cheered for her at those events. She recalled the Flim Flam brothers and the fate of Sweet Apple Acres, seeing each day in a few moments as time caught up to her now. She wondered absently if, when time caught her, she would die. Was her life flashing before her eyes? Was it going to be over finally?

She watched Applejack installing the plants that yielded the Sweets and equipment for the manufacturing process. She watched as AJ killed her first pony as a warning to others. She remembered the Wonder Bolts rejection and the first time she snorted the Sweets as clearly as if she were living it again. She felt Applejack's scorn from the first time an argument had turned violent. Image after image flashed through her mind, up to and including Twilight's arrival and the terrible abuse she had suffered from Applejack the day before. Her life had been getting worse and worse for a long time and she was privileged enough to watch her descent into the Hell into which she was surely going to be thrown shortly. And then, she remembered the only source of kindness she had had for a long time.

Scootaloo. The little twerp had worshipped Rainbow Dash for as long as Rainbow had known her. She had done a great many things to earn Rainbow's affection and had never received it. Rainbow had felt the same with Applejack, unable to achieve what she wanted, but burning with desire for it. She had done everything except tell her mare-to-mare, for fear of further disdain from the orange cow-mare, who treated her worse and worse as time went on. She had done the same to Scootaloo, never giving the filly the time she deserved. Using her for selfish reasons. On more than one occasion, the filly had stolen food for Rainbow, a couple times even stealing Sweets for Rainbow despite knowing the risks and punishments. The filly was her greatest fan and, for a long time now, the only pony who showed her something other than the bottom of their hooves.

Scootaloo deserved better. Rainbow was the worst hero. Is that what she had called her? Her hero? Dash was not a hero to anypony, especially to that filly. Dash had pushed her away like garbage and yet she still did her best to look out for Rainbow. The filly loved Rainbow and it finally dawned on the multicolored mare how much of a cad she had been. Her arrhythmic heart hurt from more than detoxing and she regretted her actions towards the filly. More and more images presented themselves to the shaking mare.

Scootaloo had been in the background of most of them, watching in awe at the pegasus she adored. Scoot was stout for her age, but still couldn't fly. She was an orphan now after her parents had "left" and Rainbow was the role model she had chosen to fill in for parents. Some role model she was, a mentally abusive Sweets addict who was currently shitting herself and kicking her way, uncontrollably, around a freezing basement. Yeah, she could totally see why the filly loved her so much. Rainbow was a waste and she finally took notice to how pathetic she was.

"Rainbow?" Scootaloo stood at the doorway looking at the flailing mare with a look of disgust screwing up her face.

Rainbow didn't think she could speak, but somehow she heard her words given voice. "Scootaloo? I'm sorry."

"Yeah? Well, it's too late for that. I don't care about you anymore. I tried to help you, but you wouldn't let me." The filly looked as if seeing Rainbow made her sick, but came close to the mare, leaning over her and coughing something thick and wet into her throat.

"Please, Squirt. I'll give up the Sweets. Let me have another chance. I don't want to be this way anymore." Rainbow sobbed and pleaded up to the filly.

Scootaloo spit a thick wad of goo into Rainbow's face. Rainbow pitifully looked up at the filly; she didn't want to be alone. She wanted to make everything up to the fledgling pegasus. "I deserved that. Please give me another chance. Just one more."

"I worshipped you when you were strong and even when you were weak, but not anymore. Do everypony a favor and just die, Rainbow Crash." The filly turned and began walking away.

The doorway seemed impossibly far away on the horizon and Rainbow watched the filly for what seemed like an hour, each step another painful regret shooting through Rainbow's heart. She begged and cried for Scootaloo to come back. Her fan, her friend, the only pony who cared, but she just kept walking away, forever…

From shooting star to bottom of the barrel. This was not who she was. Rainbow was better than this; the filly knew it and had tried to tell her, but Rainbow wouldn't listen. Drugs controlled her life, dragged it through the dirt and made her beg for more. Not anymore. Rainbow could beat this just as she had overcome nearly every other obstacle that stood in her way. She wouldn't sit idly by and let the drugs ruin her life anymore. She could fight back. She would fight back. She would make that little flightless filly proud of her and treat her the way she deserved. Rainbow might not recover fully from what she had done to herself, but it didn't matter. She would help Scootaloo fly. She would make that poor lonely filly better than any pegasus had ever been.

Rainbow looked around the room disoriented, fighting her jerking body. The door was still shut and except for Dash the room was vacant of life. It had been a vision, just like the others. Scootaloo hadn't spit on her and abandoned her. Rainbow could still make it up to the filly. The multicolored mare had to fight through the pain and sickness; she had a filly to mentor. Rainbow Dash would live through this and make amends for the years she spent wallowing in her self-pity. She would make herself strong again, whole again, and take the filly on as her apprentice. She would make Applejack take notice of her again, march right up to the orange mare, and tell her she loved her. She would live the life she was given and stop wasting it.

She just had to endure being at the bottom first.


	8. Intermission: Letter To Celestia

Dear Princess Celestia,

Thank you so much for allowing me to change the location for my assignment due to technical failure of the balloon. Don't worry, my new friend Applejack, has taken great care in having the vehicle repaired and it will be in the working condition again before long. Applejack has taken great strides to show me kindness and I am honored to call her my friend. She has given me a room on her farm and introduced me to all the lovely ponies who live or work here. Most of them are her family but there are more than a few who make the short walk from Ponyville on a daily basis. I can tell them apart because all of the members of the Apple's are named after their business. Apple Tart, Apple Bumkin, Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom, Apple Cake, Golden and Red Delicious (They are twins!). It's hard to believe there are so many ponies whose cutie marks are based on apples.

Applejack is a strong and capable pony. She grows apples for a living and oversees every facet of the business , from production to brokering business relations. The business does very well, from what I can tell, despite the shallow supply of fertile farmland. Her apples must be of the highest quality but I think she does some sort of consulting to boost her income. She is a very knowledgable agriculturalist and many farmers would pay for her advice. She is probably the most hard-working pony I have ever met and takes great pride in her family and farm. Family is the most important aspect of her character and she includes her friends into that category, how neat! She says once you're in the Apple Family you are there for life. Isn't that a great motto? I've learned a lot about friendship from her in the weeks I have been here and have paid special attention to the care and friendships that the Apple's have shown me. I have even begun to help with the harvests and fertilization process of the soils; studying chemical relations in the hopes to revitalize a portion of the damaged soils around the farm. It has been fun to learn about ratios and mixtures but it has been complicated at times as well. I want to help them for all the kindness they have shown me and using my magic and mind for this task seems more fitting than plucking apples from trees. I am enjoying the relationships I am forming, especially with Applejack and her younger sister Apple Bloom.

Apple Bloom is a filly still but is very educated in fruit production. She takes more pride in the business than even Applejack! In another year or two I think the filly will take over the production aspect of the business and leave Applejack to the arranging of contracts. She and I have talked at length about the nature of farming and she never seems to bore of the subject. In this subject, I would call the filly a master. She has taught me a great deal about apples, more than I thought was possible. Did you know there is a chemical in apples that turns to poison in your stomach? It's not enough to ever harm a pony, no matter how many are eaten, but wow! Apple Bloom has two friends who, almost all the time, live here on the farm.

Apple Bloom spends most of her time helping on the farm but she has ample time to play with her friends as well. One is an orphaned Pegasus and the other is a unicorn whose sister runs a boutique in Ponyville. I think it's a testament to Applejack's kindness to adopt the poor orphaned filly, Scootaloo, and to make sure she has a good upbringing. They call themselves "The Cutie Mark Crusaders" because they have yet to earn their cutie marks and the bulk of their time together is spent in pursuit of their talents. This can be a bit messy as the three fillies come home in many states of disarray from their adventures around the farm. I am also tutoring the young unicorn in magic.

Sweetie Belle, has had very little magic training but she is intelligent and eager to learn more about her horn and how to produce magic with it. She and I spend time each day levitating objects and learning the nature of spells. She is eager but her concentration is broken easily and I don't think she studies very much. Of course, nopony studies as much as I would expect them to. She's very interested in clairaudience and clairvoyance as well as magically enhanced ventriloquism and projecting images, usually of herself or other ponies, to the point where I think she has an interest in theatre or stage magic.

The last bit of information on the farm deals with a sick pegasus named Rainbow Dash. Applejack is her best friend. Applejack told me that they used to do all kinds of things together and that Rainbow Dash had aspirations to be a Wonder Bolt. Apparently things didn't go so well at the try outs and she fell into a depression so deep that it has actually physically sickened the mare. Since then, Rainbow has lived on the farm with the Apple's. Applejack takes great care to make sure Rainbow Dash has everything she needs and hopes she will, some day, recover from the depression. Dash is apparently a clumsy pegasus because she tends to walk into doors or fall down stairs on occasion. I have, twice, found her with a new black eye or bruise. Upon asking, she gets defensive and generally changes the subject. I wonder if she was clumsy before the try outs and that's why she was refused by the Wonder Bolts or if it came from deterioration from the depression. Either way, she has seemed to improve in health over the last few weeks and seems stronger every time I look at her. I hope she has turned a corner from her depression and I am sure AJ (Applejack) is pleased with this as well. She obviously cares so much for the pegasus and I would like to see them on equal hooving.

I am so happy to be living with these ponies. I am making new friends every day and seeing, first hoof, the power that friendship is giving them. The ponies here are all linked to each other and happiest when they are together. I have examined their interactions and have been finding not only data on the Magic of Friendship but friendship myself. I hope to travel into the town of Ponyville in the upcoming weeks and make new friends there. I think I will start with Sweetie Belle's sister, Rarity. I have learned that having friends is not a burden, but a benefit that is only weighable by the emotions it creates. Thank you for this opportunity to learn. I will send another letter when I have more to report on the subject.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle


	9. Welcome Back II the Jungle

Time is a funny thing. One second you're young and raring to make your mark on the world; an instant later, you're old and bitter, remembering the good old days when you were pissing vinegar and fighting for causes long forgotten. All within what seems an instant, those times disappear into the ever-hungry maw of the past. Once you have crossed each second's threshold you can never get that time back, no matter how hard you might try. The instant your life extinguishes, you might not have existed at all except for the memories of those you touched. A few live on through their deeds and are remembered, but they no longer exist; only a story of who they were remains. Twilight meant to leave many stories of herself. She would be remembered for ages to come.

Twilight sat on a hill near the edge of Sweet Apple Acres and looked out at the edge of Ponyville. The hill sat at the edge of an apple grove that separated the main farm from the hillside. The sun was going down for the day and she sat with Applejack reflecting on the work she had done that day. Twilight had been working diligently with chemicals in the hopes to neutralize the poisons in which the Flim Flam brothers' machine had drenched the surrounding soil when it exploded. At least, that was what she thought she was doing. The formula might repair damaged soil, but it would also enrich the soil in which Applejack's "other" plants were grown, producing a higher quality product.

Twilight had grown to enjoy the company of the Apple Family. Most of them were very accommodating and friendly. She had met nearly all of them and could remember each one by name. She called only a few friends, but she knew many of them as acquaintances and could make chitchat with them. There were only two for whom she didn't care much. One was Big Macintosh, who was indeed the biggest earth pony she had ever seen, because he was very restricted with his words and always had the look that said he was too busy for any conversation. Apple Bloom had told the mare that Big Mac was always that way and that it wasn't personal. The other pony she didn't care for was the green-coated JackSlap.

Twilight thought JackSlap was crude and possessed an odd sense of humor. He would read newspapers and chuckle at articles about violence or accidents. He reminded her too much of the ponies who had shot down her and Spike's balloon. He had even spoken rather rudely to her on one occasion, asking if she needed any "stallions-only" help. She hadn't quite understood what he meant and when she asked AJ about it, she said she had no idea but would have a little talk with JackSlap about his manners with mares. The offensive pony hadn't bothered her since.

The lavender unicorn had enjoyed helping the Apples and had even begun tutoring Sweetie Belle in the usage of magic. It was a lot of fun and she and the filly were becoming friends, but Twilight was feeling that her goal couldn't be met here on the farm. She needed to get into Ponyville and make some friends. If she was going to help Ponyville it would be from inside, not outside its borders. The mare sighed softly and watched the waning sunlight cascade off of the town in the distance.

"What's wrong, Sugar Cube?" Applejack, to her surprise and chagrin, had begun to enjoy the unicorn's company. She could trust her family, but she hadn't been able to really talk to another pony in a long time. Applejack was tough and strong and had to maintain that display to everypony, even her own family. Twilight was different. Twilight wasn't from Ponyville or a real member of the Family. Applejack had realized after only a week that the mare was a student and posed no threat to the Apples. To her horror, she had found herself seeking the purple mare's company as if her mind and body were rebelling against her conscious wishes.

Twilight, however, had been the best company with whom Applejack had the pleasure of talking in a long time because she knew that Twilight didn't want anything from her. When Twilight agreed or disagreed with what they were talking about, she did so because she thought that way, not to please or displease the cow-mare. A lot of time had passed for Applejack since she had somepony she could call a friend. To Big Mac and the other Apples, her conversations with Twilight were about business and duping the mare into working for her or keeping her under hoof.

In reality, it had only started out that way. AJ had worried after first meeting Twilight that the unicorn could resurrect a part of the earth pony that she had thought was long dead. She had been proved correct in her surmise and fought to keep it from becoming real but, over time, had fallen prey to the unicorn's charm. Applejack found that she could feel something besides stress, anger, and greed when talking with the unicorn and, given the state of her business, needed the outlet. She just had to keep the mare from discovering her secret.

Business had been getting worse for the Apples and Applejack found that time with Twilight relieved the stress of the job. That new drug, Pink Dreamz, was cutting into the financial income of Applejack's Sweets and Applejack was having a difficult time locating the source. It had originated on the west side she was sure. She had taken the largest financial damage from that section of town as the new high that Pink Dreamz gave lured customers away from Sweets. The lack of dealers buying more Sweets from that part of town indicated a surplus. What would cause a surplus when she had the monopoly on drugs sold? A new drug had appeared and ponies were buying it instead of hers. The East side of town still belonged to her because the gangs would typically not intermingle, meaning that those dealers on the East side of town found it harder to acquire the new drug, but some were and a little of Applejack's East side business had declined. In short, she had too much product and not enough demand.

Twilight smiled at the orange earth pony and shrugged, "Oh nothing. I was just thinking that if I could help Ponyville it would be from there and not here, you know what I mean? It would look so much better for my study into friendship's magical qualities if I could use them to help Ponyville." The unicorn looked at the town with a slight frown. "I just can't believe a place could be so bad."

Applejack nodded slowly and thought about what Ponyville used to be like—so nice, so fun, and so friendly. It had died with her. One big ship had sunk and killed everypony on board, except that they hadn't died. They had woken up in Hell and that's where they would stay. The earth pony tossed that thought from her mind. Damn, Twilight could make her feel weird. She wouldn't normally have cared about what Ponyville used to be like. It was unlikely things would ever return to that time. If they did, Applejack wondered if she would be able to live with the acts of murder and violence she had committed. What a stupid thought, of course she would. AJ didn't regret a thing that kept her family safe and happy. "It can, Twi. Ah'd rather ya just stay here on the farm with us. Y'er safe here and there's nothing to worry about. Ponyville's a different matter. Nopony messes with us Apples, but a pretty thing like you might get targeted."

Twilight visibly cringed at the thought of being a target. More ponies like those others selecting her for some sort of cruelty was not her top priority, but she couldn't very well just sit at the farm and expect to accomplish anything. "I know, AJ, but I have to prove to the Princess that I am a capable and trustworthy student. I appreciate your concern, but it's something I am going to have to do." Twilight hoped Applejack was exaggerating the dangers of Ponyville, but whatever lurked inside that town, Twilight would have to meet if she wanted to change it.

"Ah'm sure she knows, Twi. Ya don't have ta risk everythin' ta prove it." Applejack genuinely worried about the unicorn. She didn't want her to get hurt. She was innocent in this cruel piece of the world and AJ wanted to send her back to Canterlot, someday, as she had entered it.

"I do, Applejack. I'm only as good as my work and if I fail this assignment then I am a failure to the Princess. I have to perform higher than expected to show her I am worthy of great positions in the future." Twilight turned to look upon the Stetson wearing mare with a smile. "I'll be fine, AJ. I just need to figure out where to start. Sweetie Belle invited me to meet her sister, Rarity. I suppose that would be a good place to start."

Applejack knew it would be a good place to start. She had instructed Sweetie Belle to invite Twilight. Applejack had figured that Twilight was going to go into town eventually and had planned for the occasion, just in case she couldn't be talked out of visiting the ghetto. "Yeah, I s'pose that would be a good place ta start. Rarity is nice; y'all'll get on mighty fine. If y'er gonna go Ah'm sending JackSlap with ya. Ah know ya don't much care fer'im, but he'll keep ya safe. JackSlap has a bit of a reputation in town an' there's not liable to be many who would mess with ya while he's there."

Twilight made a sour face for a moment; she wasn't thrilled with the prospect of that green earth pony with a crowbar cutie mark accompanying her anywhere, but if it meant she could go into town with safety it was probably a good idea. "Thank you, Applejack. You are too kind to me. Spike and I will go tomorrow then. It will be a good step in the right direction." Twilight felt lucky to have a friend like Applejack. She was so considerate and kind. She smiled and the feeling of being cared about and having friends welled up inside of her. She smiled happily at Applejack and suddenly wrapped her up in her forelegs, hugging the cow-mare. "Thanks for being such a good friend."

Applejack reeled away from the unicorn at first but found herself firmly inside her forelegs; she hadn't expected the physical embrace but part of her enjoyed the intimacy, a feeling she had forgotten, and slowly she wrapped the unicorn with her own forelegs in return. "Yeah, sure thing, Sugar Cube. You, too."

Rainbow Dash leaned against one of the trees of the orchard and watched the two mares on the hill heatedly. She coughed to herself and narrowed her eyes at the pair. They were getting awfully close lately. That unicorn, Twilight, was acting all demure and innocent and Applejack was eating it up. Applejack had not been close with anypony in a very long time and suddenly she had been spending her evenings with that purple unicorn slut. Dash had come a long way since last month and Applejack wouldn't so much as speak a few caring words to her but she drooled all over that brainy unicorn. Rainbow thought Applejack would have better taste.

"I'm finished with this set, Dash! What now?" A big-for-her-age pegasus filly spoke with excitement teething her words as she stood sweating and breathing hard just inside the grove of trees. Scootaloo had been working her wings with exercises that her multicolored mentor had instructed her would help her gain the lift she needed to venture into the skies. Scoots smiled brightly and eagerly awaited her next exercise. Rainbow Dash was teaching her! She had begged, wished, and prayed for this and it had finally come true! Her wildest dreams were being realized; Rainbow Dash was actually teaching her! The fledgling's wings ached, but she wanted to make Rainbow proud of her and worked through the pain to prove she was worthy of Rainbow's sudden attention.

"Okay, Squirt. Lateral wing extensions, but this time with these." The multicolored mare took a moment to attach a five-pound bag of sand to each of her pupil's tiny wings. She smiled, her mind away from Applejack and that unicorn, as she used her training techniques on the younger pegasus. Scootaloo was strong, both of body and will, but she needed to build her wing strength or else the extra muscle in her body would weigh her down and delay her first flight. Rainbow would see Scootaloo fly before the year was out. That was the goal the pegasi had set and Rainbow would not let Scoots down. The filly had been let down enough by Rainbow Dash in the past, but not this time. Rainbow had her head on straight for the first time in years and the only pony who had attempted to aid her was Scootaloo. Rainbow owed the filly her life, now that she had it back. A sudden shiver caught Dash and she fell to the ground with a quiet moan.

"Dash!" Scootaloo almost caught her mentor; she had recognized the way Rainbow's back legs twitched just before a minor seizure made her legs go limp. Scootaloo hadn't reacted quickly enough to catch the mare, but had kept her head from connecting with the orchard floor. Dash still wasn't completely over her addiction, Scootaloo knew, but she had made vast improvements and Scoots was proud of her. The orange filly held the slightly-bluer-than-before pegasus until her body stopped shivering and her breathing eased from ragged to normal. Scootaloo felt a warmth creeping underneath her and became aware that Rainbow had lost control of her bladder. Scootaloo didn't mind; Rainbow couldn't help it.

"Thanks, Scootaloo." The blue mare's cheeks flushed and she looked away in embarrassment. Years of Sweets abuse couldn't be undone in a month.

Rainbow had seized relentlessly for days after she decided to give up the drug. Her body had screamed at her for the damage she had caused it and she had kicked her way around the storage room for what seemed like endless hours. Her body burned and her mind played horrific films of death and torment until she couldn't tell what was real and what was vision. Rainbow had experienced Hell for days before she had regained consciousness enough for Scootaloo to force food and water down her throat. For nearly a week, Rainbow fought the need for Sweets and Scoots made sure she had food and water. She wasn't sure if Applejack had visited her or not. She thought she remembered AJ asking her if she was finally going to just die and be done with it, but she had seen so many false things she couldn't distinguish what was truth and what was illusion. The need had subsided but the want for the drug hadn't. She wasn't sure if it ever would be completely gone, but it had become manageable.

"Dash," Scootaloo paused, wanting to tell her that she didn't think any less of her, to assure her that she would continue to get better and the seizures would stop. She just couldn't think of a non-awkward way to do it, so she switched tactics. "You sure are stronger than before. I'm so proud of you. You haven't had Sweets for nearly a month. You're going to be just like you used to be."

"No, Squirt, I won't. I've nearly killed myself. I'm going to shake, fall down, and piss myself until the day I die." Rainbow's voice quivered with self-disgust, but she pushed herself back to her hooves. "But, it won't be because I'm still addicted."

Scootaloo smiled and watched her hero take her hooves again. She might still be a sick mare, but her mind was in the right place. Rainbow was on the right path again. "You'll fly with me, Dash? You won't leave me behind like you used to?"

Rainbow extended her fretful excuse for wings and smiled back at the filly. "If I am ever able to fly again, Scoot, I just hope you won't leave me behind." The pair shared the moment, basking in each other's company. Rainbow smirked and taunted the filly, "If you don't start pumping those weights I'll be soaring the sky alone when my feathers grow back." She chuckled to herself as Scootaloo spread her wings and hefted the weights back and forth while counting.

Dash watched Scootaloo for a moment and then returned to the edge of the grove and watched Applejack and that Twilight temptress. Dash was getting better; Applejack would see that. This time she wouldn't hide her feelings; she would confront Applejack and force the mare to listen to her as she spoke her heart. She sighed and watched the pair. The sun made Applejack's orange coat shimmer brightly and wished she could be up there beside her to experience the romantic setting. She wondered what Applejack's hoof would feel like with hers, if her body would be as warm as the sun making it glow, what her kisses would feel like. Suddenly her eyes broke the happy thoughts as Dash saw Twilight, the whore, placed her hooves around Applejack. Rainbow's mouth fell like a stone, as Applejack returned the embrace.

Golden Harvest had delivered and the bits had been rolling in for Pinkamena and Fluttershy. Life in Sugar Cube Corner had been much better for the mares. Luxuries, such as food, and minor comforts such as a fan to blow the rank scent from the aging building and generally cool the structure, were finally a possibility again. Pinkamena had baked fresh cupcakes for the first time in ages and they tasted heavenly. The pink pony snarfled down her third cupcake; her tummy felt full and bloated, but she didn't care. Her meals had been measly for a great while; it seemed as if an ocean of time separated her from the last fresh meal she had devoured, and she tried to make up for all those lost meals at once. Pinkamena lay back on the couch and contentedly moaned as she rubbed her distended stomach. Her eyes were half closed in pleasure and flecks of icing circled her mouth as she looked at Fluttershy. "Do you want another one?"

"No, two's one too many for me, Pinkie. Thank you, though." The yellow Pegasus mare smiled happily at her friend. She liked it when Pinkie wasn't angry. She had been friendlier lately and Flutters had talked her into baking the cupcakes for the two of them. Golden Harvest had kept her end of the bargain and both parties were making a good amount of bits. Pinkie was having trouble keeping up with the amount that Golden requested to sell and Fluttershy had been enticed to help, until she mixed a beaker of blue liquid with a tube of green and they reacted with a small display of fireworks. Fluttershy's nerves had failed at that moment and she ran back to the safety of the den. She hadn't wanted to help anymore; making drugs just wasn't for her, which left only Pinkie working long nights to fill the orders.

"Suit yourself, Shy. I've left a couple for you in the refrigerator." Pinkie yawned and looked up at the ceiling.

Fluttershy watched her friend and giggled quietly to herself. Pinkie didn't even realize that she was almost smiling, but Fluttershy saw it on her face. Pinkie may not know it, but she had enjoyed baking the cupcakes. Fluttershy wanted to help Pinkie get back on her hooves. Pinkie had been so kind to take Fluttershy in and give her a home and Flutters would repay her by bringing the real Pinkie back from the pit of sadness that dwelt inside of Pinkamena. Flutters had wanted cupcakes, but she had really wanted to test her theory that if Pinkamena did things the old Pinkie enjoyed, it would make her happy again. The yellow pegasus watched the pink earth pony closely.

Pinkie searched the ceiling with jerking motions of her eyes as if she were watching something moving back and forth. She lay with the hooves of her back legs hanging off the foreleg rest and she kicked them lightly back and forth to the rhythm of a song only she could hear. As Flutters watched her silently and read the movements of the ex-party pony, she took some solace in seeing the small movements that signified some part of Pinkie was at peace for the moment. Flutters had watched her friend's torment, unable to assist, for too long. She was being sneakier than she would have liked but maybe Pinkie would find some small comforts again. It was a step on the right road anyway. Flutters, however, decided to remind Pinkie of her promise. Neither of the mares had brought up Pinkie's vow to throw Fluttershy a party for the two of them. "Um, Pinkie?"

The pink pony answered with the tiniest amount of mirth in her voice, "What, Flutters?"

"When are we going to, um, have my party?" The pegasus asked matter-of-factly and did her best not to stutter on the words. She was pleased with herself when she had only halted once to say "um". She smiled hopefully, but felt the slight warmth that had been stirring around Pinkie suddenly frost over.

"Are you really going to hold me to that?" The pink mare sounded less than happy about it.

"Well, um, you asked what I wanted that night and, um, that's what I want. You promised, Pinkie." Fluttershy was good at not sounding forceful with her words, it was natural for her, but her voice told of sadness on the horizon if Pinkie betrayed her promise.

"Shy, I was drunk! I barely even remember having that conversation. There's got to be something else you want. Something money can buy." Pinkie sat up and looked over her swollen belly at the pegasus. "Just name it and I'll get it for you."

"But, umm, I want a, umm, Pinkie Pie party." With all the determination she could muster, Fluttershy reissued her desire.

Pinkamena let out an annoyed sigh and threw her front legs out before her face as she flopped backward onto the couch again. Pinkamena's swelled gut rolled slightly after she did and it bounced back and forth for a moment prompting a giggle from the yellow pegasus despite the pink mare's irritation. Pinkamena grumbled, "Shy, I told you. I don't like parties anymore. Why do you want it?" Pinkamena audibly became angry with the pegasus. "Partying HURTS me! It's something that can't live anymore. This town, these PONIES killed it! Now you want to try and resuscitate a corpse? WHY?" The ex-party pony yelled the last words, her momentary serenity dying a flaming death to the anger building within her. She did not want to discuss partying again and regretted agreeing to Fluttershy's wish. She hadn't been in her right mind, or more right mind, as Pinkamena hadn't been in her "right mind" her entire life.

Fluttershy shrank back as Pinkie's uneasy harmony fell apart, revealing ragged teeth and animosity. The pegasus hadn't expected such a quick change in mood from her friend and regretted pushing the earth pony. She made a sorrowful squeak and lay down on the floor, covering her face with her front legs as she began to cry.

Pinkamena grumbled and rolled to her hooves. She had given in once to Fluttershy's tears and didn't want to make the same mistake again. Irate energy coursed her veins and made her immune to the pegasus' whimpers. She would just leave for a while, Golden would be happy to see her and they could plan the next shipment. She'd just have to make a call real quick and…

"It's my fault. I'm sorry…I've…ruined it." Flutters' sobbing voice broke as she spoke the words. "I didn't mean to, Pinkie. Please, I won't talk about parties again."

Pinkamena sighed and turned to look at the pegasus. Sometimes Fluttershy was more trouble than she was worth. The pink pony stood over the mare but irritably asked, "What do you mean it's all your fault?"

"You were ha-ha-happy for a few minutes, Pinkie. I thought that maybe you would…," The pegasus paused to sob and uncover her tear-filled eyes, "… maybe you would want to have a party with me. I pushed you and…now you're upset again. I ruined your happiness, Pinkie."

Pinkamena moved the flat sheet of hair from her face and felt the anger melting from her body. Fluttershy was doing it again. She was appealing to something Pinkamena was certain had died. Flutters had re-animated that part of her on more than one occasion, to Pinkamena's chagrin. Staying angry at the yellow mare was far too arduous a task, especially when she cried and wallowed in what, she felt, was her own shortcoming.

With a deep sigh, Pinkamena knelt beside the pegasus and nuzzled her muzzle into the soft yellow coat of the pegasus. Laying a front leg across the mare's shoulders, Pinkamena tried to coax Fluttershy's sobs and sniffles away. "Shhhh. Stop, Shy, it's all right." The Pink Pony's soft spot was this pegasus and she knew it. She couldn't stand seeing Fluttershy unhappy.

"No, it's not…you've done so much for me. I just want…to make you happy." She didn't resist the gentle strokes that Pinkie began giving her mane. She tried not to cry, but she had overplayed her idea and diminished the possibility of Pinkie finding joy again. Resting her head flat against the floor, she wiped her eyes with her hooves.

"Shy, I…what if I don't want to be happy again?" The pink pony laid her head against the pegasus' and their manes mixed in a display of pastel and deep pinks. Flutters wanted to make her feel better, what a joke. She wasn't going to feel better; she hadn't felt better. So, she had baked them some cupcakes, big deal. It wasn't like cupcakes were her life anymore. The way she had frosted them with careful detail to the circumference of their rounded tops and made sure to cover every fragment in a smooth motion to not mar the aesthetic swirl. It's not like that had made her smile or…oh, wait. It had.

Pinkamena hadn't taken notice of it, but she had smiled. She hadn't taken great care in mixing the dough or separating it into the baking tray, but she had paid very careful attention to not let her creations burn. And the icing…she had spent a good deal of her time making sure the color was just perfect, yellow and then dotted with pink butterflies. She had been making them special, for Fluttershy. Flutters had requested them and Pinkamena's stomach had agreed in proxy for her wandering mind, but during the creation she had been smiling.

"You would, Pinkie, if I hadn't messed it up. I know you would have been happy again. It's who you are. It's who you have always been. I'm so stupid," Fluttershy miserably spoke.

Fluttershy had seen her smiling. Part of Pinkamena wanted to yell, scream, and throw things, but another part wanted to test the baking theory. What if Fluttershy was right? Maybe she was supposed to be happy again.

"Turn that frown upside down, you silly filly. Life's a Party!"

Where did that come from? Pinkamena lifted her head from the pegasus and stood up suddenly. It had come from the kitchen.

Fluttershy looked up at the earth pony as she gazed into the kitchen with a quizzical, but somehow frightened, expression. Flutters wiped her eyes again, curious by the abrupt action Pinkie had taken. Pinkie stepped closer to the kitchen with her head held high and her muscles twitching at her shoulders as of ready to swing her hooves at a moment's notice. Flutters felt a chill run down her back. Had Pinkie heard something? Was one of Applejack's goons stalking the kitchen?

"Pinkie, what's going on?" The mare sniffled and took a couple steps away from the entrance to the kitchen. She admired Pinkie's bravery of investigation. She would have just hidden in the furthest corner and hoped they would pass her by, but Pinkie was looking for whatever it was. She waited a moment, but the pink pony just pushed by the one remaining saloon style door that led to the kitchen, as the other had fallen apart and been thrown away long before. "Pinkie? Is it Applejack?"

"Shh, Flutters." Pinkamena softly spoke with slight distress, but caring in her voice. She knew she heard it. The sun had gone down for the day and the kitchen was left darkened, only lit by a single window. Pinkamena was about to flip on the light when she heard the voice again, high pitched and content, like the sounds that Fluttershy's chipmunk and squirrel friends made, except she could understand this voice.

"Come, Pinkie Pie! The party is just getting started! We want you to join us!"

The ex-partier stepped completely into the kitchen; the voice sounded like it was coming from all around her and nowhere in tandem. She hadn't snorted any of her Pink Dreamz in days, so she shouldn't be under the effect of drugs. Everypony thought she was crazy and, she admitted, she did see and hear things sometimes that didn't fit into the normal spectrum of daily life, but this was different. For months, she had only been beckoned by the drug-induced illusions, not normal ones. It was as if the normal ones were part of another world that she could see, but with which she could not interact.

"I'll just wait in here, Pinkie…" Fluttershy squeaked from behind her, just on the other side of the swinging saloon style door, or what was left of it.

"Come on in, Pinkie Pie! We missed you!" The refrigerator door slowly swung open, spilling its glow across the floor in a skewed rectangular pattern that ended at Pinkamena's hooves. Pinkie gulped and stepped slowly towards the open appliance. Whatever it was, she was going to see it.

As the flat-haired pony approached, tiny shadows jittered from the lights cascading from the refrigerator, as if something was alive inside. Pinkamena stopped just at the edge of the appliance, took a deep breath, and then jumped in front to see what was causing the commotion.

It was the cupcakes. They smiled up at Pinkamena with candy eyes and they had grown short skinny arms and legs with which they danced with each other, much like the conga style lines she had once enjoyed. There had only been two when she put them into the machine, but now there were nearly a dozen, all adorned with tiny party hats and big icing smiles, as they threw tiny handfuls of confetti and celebrated Pinkamena coming to join them.

The inside of the appliance had undergone a drastic change, as well. Everywhere there were streamers and balloons, punch and pie, games and events. The fridge had three racks that separated the dance floor from the game room and the snack room. On each of the levels were cupcakes throwing a party that would have made Pinkamena proud a few years ago.

"What? What is all this? Why?" Pinkamena watched the happy confection creatures make merry and found herself a little jealous.

One of the cupcakes, the only one whose icing was pink with two blue balloons and one yellow, waved up at her. "This is a party, you funny pony. Don't say you've forgotten what a party is." Its candy eyes didn't move and Pinkamena got the feeling it didn't really use them to see at all, but it tilted itself so that it looked like it was gazing back at her.

"I know what a party is. Why are you having one inside the refrigerator?" The pink mare tried, and achieved, sounding like a bitch.

"This is a special party just for you! We miss you Pinkie Pie. We know you. You are not who you are now. You want to party. It's so much fun! Remember all the good times you had with your friends when…"

"Shut up! I don't have any friends! Those times are gone! Nopony wants to party anymore! They…" Pinkamena's voice had risen to an irate crescendo, but then dropped to a low, remorseful, tone. "They just want to kill. They just want to hurt others. I can't party with them." The pink pony suddenly became aware that the world had grown; she was standing at eye level with the cupcake inside the decorated refrigerator. Its empty candy eyes seemed to bore into mind and pick apart its defenses.

She realized then that she was crying; the sorrow she buried deep inside of her poured out uncontrollably as if her emotions were exaggerated to the point she couldn't just hide from them, which she knew she had been. She wanted to party, but was afraid of the outcomes. Nopony wanted parties about friendship because self-interest was far too high. Friends were liabilities for them and Pinkie had never felt that way. When her friends changed, she had taken it to heart. It had hurt her so profoundly that she had retracted from society to hide inside Sugar Cube Corner. Whatever this refrigerator world was, it made her realize that. She could admit it to herself safely here.

"I can hear your thoughts, Pinkie Pie. You are starting to understand. There are those who still cling to friendship. Not everypony has changed. You have somepony dear to you. You don't have to fear her turning against you, do you?" The cupcake reached out with its sugary arm and hugged the mare.

Pinkamena sobbed and fell to her knees, feeling the coolness of the refrigerator as she sorted out her emotions. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she closed her eyes and wept. "Fluttershy is my best friend. She would never turn on me. She loves me and I love her."

"Of course I love you, Pinkie. I want to stay your best friend forever."

Pinkamena opened her eyes; she was back in the kitchen, the lights were on and the refrigerator was normal again. A pair of cupcakes sat inside, one yellow with pink butterflies and another pink with balloons. She was certain she had not made the one with her cutie mark on it. The cool air of the fridge washed against her body, making the wetness from her tears feel icy.

"Umm…I got worried about you. I found you just standing here. Is everything okay? Why are you um…crying? I'm sorry if I made you that upset about the…umm…you know, party. I don't want one now, it's okay." Fluttershy looked ashamed for causing her friend to become so upset but, oddly, Pinkie was smiling, honestly smiling, at her. It made her happy, but confused her as well.

"We're going to party, Flutters. Just us, I want to. For the first time in a long time I really want to." Pinkamena wrapped the pegasus up in a giant hug and squeezed her until the pink pony realized Shy was barely able to breathe.

The pair embraced one another and began talking about what would happen at the party. They talked and laughed for hours, and both the mares would fall asleep more easily that night with visions of cakes—real ones, not Pink Dreamz—and games dancing in their dreams.


	10. Return to Innocence?

Sweetie Belle was not a morning pony. She wasn't even sure how she had ended up in the apple orchard, but she had probably walked, or sleep walked, beside her teacher. Sacks of sand were pulling her eyes shut and her mane was sticking up at weird angles in several places as she fought to keep on her hooves as dawn broke the horizon and spilled tendrils of orange glow through the limbs of the living apple trees. Sweetie shook herself from sleep's embrace as Twilight continued to pace back and forth and lecture the young unicorn on the mystical ways of conjuration, abjuration, and divination. Twilight hadn't noticed that Sweetie had fallen asleep for a moment or two and the young unicorn filly did her best to come to attention and absorb the lesson that the lavender unicorn was teaching. Twilight was just so …

"… and the chief difference between detect magic and detect magical device is the conjunctionary magical tether. A scholar once asked, 'What does the tether have to do with the slight difference between magic and magical device?' The answer? A lot! It was believed 400 years ago that the constraints of magical practice, or the Sky Line agreement, led to malformed…"

… boring.

Sweetie Belle had been training under the magically talented unicorn for a few weeks and was taking particular interest in the illusion and divination schools. Sweetie had previously formulated a spell that let her transmit sound from her spell's location to her mind and had used it against that brainless butch Scootaloo on several occasions, but there were far more exciting spells to learn. Sweetie began imagining the possibilities of spells that could deceive the eyes and minds of ponies. What promise. What power. What … Sweetie snored lightly as sleep jumped at the opportunity to overtake her wandering mind.

"… and that led to the reformation of the Ommadon Pact. With society embracing the benefits that the abjurer preached, Equestrian armorers began to lose business. This leads to why only the Royal Guard wears armor. The newly explored abjuration magic attracted many new students and soon flourished. Can you imagine being immune to the effects of heat or cold? Many uses were found for …"

Twilight continued to lecture for a few minutes before Sweetie's snores rose to a level where the lavender mare was forced to take notice. The unicorn cocked her head to the filly and let out an annoyed sigh. This was not the first time she had been lecturing to a student and they had fallen asleep. In fact, on several occasions, she had been asked to read a report on magic or explain a project and her classmates had all but broken out pillows. "Sweetie!"

The filly stuttered and jerked awake, nearly toppling over as her legs reacted in different directions to the sudden vigor from the previously droning, monotonous voice. She rubbed her eyes with her hooves after gathering her balance. "Sorry, Twilight. It's just so early and I don't like conjuration or abjuration. Can we talk about something else until I'm fully awake?" The filly looked a little embarrassed and topped off her statement with a wide yawn, showing her tiny dangling tonsils to the mare.

"I suppose we could forego the conjuration lesson for now. Very well, what did you want to learn about?" Twilight's annoyance turned quickly to interest. She smiled at the filly and waited for Sweetie to voice her magical appeal.

"Well, I really liked when we talked about illusion magic. I've been practicing it and I want to show you what I can do!" The filly jumped eagerly as she excitedly found a chance to show her newest trick.

Twilight nodded and prompted the filly to show her the trick she was so eager to present. Twilight was eager as well; Sweetie was a good little pupil for her age and had showed some promise in her magical capabilities. Twilight sat on her hind legs and motioned to the filly. "Please, show me what you've been practicing, Sweetie Belle."

A smile spread across the young unicorn's face and she set her legs apart to brace herself, just in case something went wrong and something exploded. Sweetie clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, her smile faltering under the concentration. Her horn began to glow a soft pink color and a small area between the two mares rippled as if it was a surface of water disturbed by an unseen force. The filly could feel her magic shaping and doubled her efforts, sweat breaking out upon her coat under the duress of her effort.

The intensity with which the afflicted area shuddered grew and slowly a form began to expand from within. Twilight was impressed by the display and encouraged the filly, "Keep going, Sweetie Belle, you've almost got it." Twilight understood that the form was an illusion and had never once experienced a negative reaction from illusory magic, so she let the filly continue to shape her image.

Sweetie didn't hear the older mare, her concentration tied only to her apparition. She began to growl under her breath and suddenly her tiny horn flared momentarily with energy, strobing the immediate area with flickering light.

From within the semi-invisible magic came the likeness of Twilight. It was crude, like a foal's drawing, but nonetheless an image of Twilight stood between the mares. It stood perfectly still for a moment and then instantly disappeared when Sweetie Belle's concentration broke. The filly huffed loudly, sapped by the expenditure.

"Wow! That's amazing, Sweetie! That was a full torso duplicate image. It was a little rough, but very impressive for a filly of your age. I have never seen anypony as young as you perform such a magical feat. How long have you been practicing that?" Twilight couldn't hide her thrill with the filly; the awe dripped with each word.

Sweetie breathed hard but smiled up at the larger mare with a satisfied disposition on her face. The filly had been working on replicating different images since her first lesson, but a duplication of a pony could prove useful. Honestly, this was the first time she had formed a full body. She had only marginal success on previous attempts. Tired, but pleased, the filly responded, "Since our first lesson that involved making images. It sure was hard, but it was good, right?"

"Very good. The image lacked definition, but really, Sweetie, I am impressed with your performance. If you keep to practicing you will only get better." Twilight liked the young filly and hoped to encourage her to continue her studies. Twilight enjoyed teaching the unicorn, but more importantly, she enjoyed the time they spent together. Sweetie had sought her out on numerous occasions just to talk. Usually, she talked about the farm and having fun with Apple Bloom and how she was thankful that AppleJack let her pretty much live on the farm with them. Ponyville was a dangerous town and she didn't like being there ever since her parents had been murdered. She wished Rarity could move out of Ponyville, but she didn't make enough bits to move to a new town.

Also, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were apparently not getting along all that well. Twilight had noticed that the pair seemed eager to blame each other the first day she met them, but Sweetie had mentioned before, during one of her visits to Twilight's room, that Scootaloo liked to try and have things her way by using her size advantage over the unicorn. Twilight had told the filly to express her thoughts to the fledgling pegasus and explain that Sweetie did not appreciate that kind of behavior; they were friends after all, and friends listened to one another. Sweetie had made an odd face in response and changed the subject. Twilight put the thought away; it was education time now, and later they were going to spend the day together in Ponyville with Rarity, Sweetie's sister, and, ugh, JackSlap was going to accompany them. She still wanted to get this lecture in and attempt to broaden the young unicorn's magic, but she would switch topics for now. There was still plenty of time and she had earned it.

"Okay, let's talk about illusion, Sweetie." Twilight grinned to the young unicorn and, when a satisfied smile broke across the young one's face, Twilight began to speak. "So, in the Third Century a unicorn named Abracadazzle theorized that the co-support mechanism for belief was structured under the law of reality. This said that, if a pony could visualize an image, then they could believe it existed. The fundamental flaw behind this reasoning was ignored because…"

Sweetie's smile faltered and she sighed as the tendrils of sleep began to take root in her eyelids and pour sand inside once more.

Even if it was in a safe part of town, and in the early morning when most of the dangerous ponies finally crawled into their hovels for rest, the grocery store was a frightening venture for Fluttershy. The butterfly cutie marked mare rarely left Sugar Cube Corner for any reason, but this was a special occasion, which prompted the skittish mare to embolden her fretful nature and venture out into the town. Pinkie and she needed supplies for her party.

Pinkie had yelled at her at first the night before, but then grew soft. Something had happened then that Fluttershy could not explain. She had watched Pinkie react as if she was hearing something in the kitchen. Fluttershy had cowardly hidden herself in the furthest corner of the den and watched the pink pony brave the darkened kitchen alone. She felt wretched, as if she had abandoned Pinkie to a terror unimagined, and things had grown quiet. Finally, Flutters had strengthened her resolve enough to poke her head in and flip the light switch. She found Pinkie staring into the refrigerator talking to herself. When she came out of her daze, the ex-party pony had been in tears and suddenly was receptive to the aspect of another party. She seemed so different. She had seemed hurt and scared, had cried her eyes out for a long while before, all at once, snapping from the sorrow, and began planning the party she had promised Fluttershy.

Fluttershy had gone to bed with Pinkie. They weren't lovers, neither pony swung that way, but were close friends sharing a fire in the winter of their lives. Needing one another they embraced and gained strength from the other, renewing hope, that maybe things would be brighter the next day. It was a sentiment that probably would not come to pass, but at least for that moment they had each other. They were not lonely travelers in the cold, dark night.

Pinkie had not slept long apparently, remembering her next shipment of Pink Dreamz was due shortly. Fluttershy awoke alone in the bed and came downstairs to a red-eyed mare barely keeping herself awake as she mixed, formed, and cut the drugs that were their income source. Pinkie had been working hard all night and had nearly finished half of the shipment. Fluttershy had pleaded with the earth pony to get some sleep, but she had countered with needing to make a grocery run for Fluttershy's party supplies.

Flutters had pleaded with Pinkie until the earth pony conceded. Fluttershy had told Pinkie that she could go get the groceries while she slept. Pinkie had hastily written a list of items they would need but stopped short of going into the bedroom.

"Are you sure you will be all right, Flutters?" the pink pony had asked with a worried expression crossing her features. "I know you don't go out much and I don't want to ask you to do something you are afraid to do."

Fluttershy had to be brave. Pinkie was brave for them both. Pinkie, alone, bore the weight of her actions to satisfy the needs of the pair. Pinkie did so much, too much, for Fluttershy. Flutters could at least go to the store on her own and let the exhausted mare sleep.

"I'll be fine. It's morning; that's when it's the safest. I'll go and come back quickly. You just go and sleep, Pinkie; you need it. We can party later, but you have to be rested to do it." Fluttershy put on a confident smile and watched as the pink mare climbed into the bed. Shy took a moment to tuck her friend in and shut the door.

She strapped Pinkie's saddlebags on, picked up the note, stuffed about 30 bits into one of the pockets, and walked to the front door of Sugar Cube Corner. Now she just had to find the courage to follow up on her statement. The door was her first step, but possibly the hardest. She timidly reached out as if the door might be scalding hot. Fluttershy closed her eyes, gulped hard, and swung the front door open.

Fluttershy's first few steps had been hard to coax, but after that her hooves seemed to find a sort of jittery rhythm and the mare found herself a couple of blocks away before she realized it.

The yellow mare looked down every alley before she passed and stuck to the main streets on her trip to the market. She quietly judged each pony she walked by as dangerous or safe. Most were dangerous to her, even though they were the regular workers of Ponyville and not the crooks, drug pushers, pimps, and gangsters of the night; to Shy, everypony looked dangerous. She recalled the alley where she had been soaked in lighter fluid and nearly burned alive.

The yellow pony felt waves of panic sidling against the sandbag wall that was her quickly constructed courage. The storm of terror was pouring more fear into the flood that was already pushing apart the makeshift dam. As Shy passed a construction worker, he sneezed, causing the pegasus to squeak and break out in a full run that only ended when she galloped through the doors of the grocery store.

Taking a moment to calm herself, Fluttershy chided herself for her feeble resolve and regretfully donned a carrying basket. She sighed and pulled Pinkie's list from her saddlebag. There were several items on the list: Eggs, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla, flour, sugar, milk, chips, sugar, ginger ale, limes, orange juice, sugar, streamers, balloons, sugar, nutmeg, chocolate chips, marshmallows, sugar, cookies, sugar-cookies, and a turnip.

Fluttershy didn't understand what use a turnip would be or why Pinkie would need several bags of sugar, but she was the party planner. She had done the job for so long she must know exactly what was needed. Shy felt better inside the market; her heart had ceased to race and she felt more at ease. She didn't think everypony was out to get her, but she wanted to keep from conversing with anypony and to get out as quickly as possible.

Shy wandered into the produce section of the market, a modest to large building with aisles designated for different types of goods. She looked over various fruits and vegetables, most of which showing some sign of minor spoilage, until discovering a tray of turnips. She picked over them for a moment and selected one that looked the least overripe. She smiled slightly at the vegetable and placed it in the basket harness she wore, striking the item from her list and moving to the next.

The list was aggravating because, while it had every item Pinkie requested, there was little order to it and the yellow pegasus wandered from aisle to aisle until she had nearly every item on the paper. The market was mostly empty at this early hour and she only had to navigate around a few ponies stocking items. They paid her little attention, which was fine with her; she preferred to be left alone.

Fluttershy turned down an aisle for the last item on her list, the streamers. It was odd that the market had a small section of birthday decorations, but it did and Shy looked the section over for the long strings of colored paper. She found them and was faced with a decision. Should she buy rainbow streamers or pink? Pinkie would probably prefer pink, since it was her favorite color, but she was also a fan of multihued fanfare. Fluttershy, laden with supplies, looked back and forth at the two and tried to decide.

"This is simply not going to do. No, no, no! Really? Only five varieties of oats? This is an outrage! To think, the likes of I, have to deal with an impoverished marketplace such as this! Surely, Canterlot will have more … once those fashionally challenged ponies see the art of my beautiful wares." A high-pitched, moderately whining voice screeched in anguish.

Fluttershy felt her heart stop. All of her former friends had changed, Applejack was a criminal overlord capable of wretched acts of violence; Rainbow Dash had, the last time Fluttershy had heard of her, been Applejack's right hoof mare; and even Pinkie was capable of acts of murder when pushed. She hadn't heard from the owner of that particularly spiteful voice since the changes had started to overcome Ponyville and dreaded what foul demon had twisted this friend. She held still and hoped that Rarity would pass her by. If she was still and quiet, then maybe …

"Fluttershy? Is that you?"

Too late.

"It is you! Oh, Darling, I haven't seen you in ages. I thought you had left Ponyville for good. How are you?" The white unicorn fashionista sounded remarkably upbeat considering her melodramatic tirade over the choice of oats only a moment ago.

Fluttershy went cold, but turned to face the monster her friend had most likely become. She almost expected snakes to living in her mane and rows of sharpened fangs. Instead, she found Rarity to be almost exactly as she used to be. She was smiling and seemed genuinely happy to see Flutters. Her mane was still styled the same in that looping curved fashion with a coat that looked as if it was expertly cared for on a daily basis. The only difference was, and she dare not speak it, the slight wrinkles around the white mare's eyes. They were worry lines. Stress was aging the unicorn a little more quickly than she should have naturally. Still, Shy did not wish to take chances. "Oh, umm, hi Rarity. I'm … fine. How are you?"

"Ghastly, Darling. This establishment does not carry enough options for a lady such as myself, but I suppose it is a sign of the times. What have you been doing? You are the last pony I expected to see in Ponyville. I visited your old home once, but it was a crater. I'm glad you were not caught up in the blast."

"I didn't … cause that. I left before then." Fluttershy's eyes flickered away from Rarity in indication she wanted to leave, but the unicorn didn't seem to notice. On the other hoof, maybe she just didn't care.

"If you are staying in Ponyville you simply must come by the shop for a visit. It's so rare that anypony comes to see me. Even Sweetie is out," she coughed and rolled her eyes, "… 'playing' with Apple Bloom over at Sweet Apple Acres. Of course, I know what really goes on out there, but that foal is incorrigible. Honestly, I worry about her, but it is safer there. Nopony goes there looking for trouble. I just hope she keeps her nose clean … in more than one way." Rarity looked away momentarily as if troubled, but then looked back to Fluttershy as if nothing was wrong.

"Oh, Rarity, I hope Sweetie Belle is being careful. If you are worried about her, maybe you should bring her back home." Flutters adhered to the worry in Rarity's tone and wondered if those light wrinkles, so painstakingly covered with powder, were from worrying about Sweetie.

"The shop isn't the safest place anymore. Not that I have experienced many criminal activities, but the neighborhood isn't the best these days and many of the foals in the area have turned to gangs or drugs. It's a tragedy what those poor foals are doing. I realize that Applejack may not be the best solution considering her new, um, business, but she promised to keep Sweetie Belle safe and away from her products. I think Sweetie knows, though … But, this arrangement will only be needed until my internet business takes off enough to let me move the two of us to Canterlot."

Fluttershy nodded the entire time, eager to be away from Rarity. She didn't like talking about Applejack. She feared her former friend and doubted the earth pony would show mercy to her old friends if she knew about Pinkie's business. "Hopefully you will be able to, um, move away soon. I'd be afraid if I had a sister with Applejack."

Rarity looked away again, her eyes dilating as she thought about something. Fluttershy took the opportunity and began to maneuver around the mare. The check out was just down the aisle; she could see it.

Rarity turned to Fluttershy suddenly. "Fluttershy, I … please don't go." The mare looked desperate. Her whole face screwed up from calm composure to a disheveled need. Fluttershy had been her best friend at one time. They used to have a weekly day together. They had shared the spa on multiple occasions and had modeled dresses ... She missed her friend. She needed her again. Rarity had been left alone and she hated it. Even Sweetie had left her despite her complaints. If she could just get her business going again, she would move away with Sweetie and be with ponies who cared again. Ponies who weren't under the influence of drugs or gangs. She had been alone for too long with her worries and fears. She had started to unhinge a little from the stress but maybe there was hope if she could convince Fluttershy she hadn't fallen prey to the evil infesting Ponyville.

"I know you are always afraid, Fluttershy. I know you, or knew you, too well to not recognize that look. You think I have turned into a beast like so many others. I haven't. Please believe me. I … I miss having friends. Applejack … does what she does now, I thought you were long gone or dead, Rainbow might as well have died, and Pinkie is an anti-social brute, or so I have heard." Rarity had come a little loose around the edges, but she couldn't let this chance pass her up. It had been so long since she had been part of a real conversation with a pony with whom she felt at ease. She could only hope Fluttershy hadn't gotten mixed up in the gangs. She had never been the type for that. She had always been the innocent in their group of friends.

Fluttershy's kindhearted nature allowed her to see her friend's pain, even through her own veil of fear. She had witnessed the same pain in Pinkie Pie all too often. She looked the unicorn in the eyes and she saw her pain and fear clearly. They had been best friends once and she could still read Rarity like a book. She could almost touch the instability working within her old friend's mind. Fluttershy, the master of empathy, reached out to her friend on a spiritual level. Rarity needed somepony. "I … I believe you, Rarity. I want to be friends again too. I don't know if I can visit you, but … maybe you can visit me?"

Rarity smiled a little and nodded. "Yes, Fluttershy, I'd love to. I … I can't today, Sweetie is coming home to visit with a friend. That's why I am here. I'm buying something to cook for their visit." She quickly added, in a breathless tone, "But, I could visit you this evening, if you don't mind me staying. I don't dare venture out after dark. There have been too many shootings in my neighborhood."

Fluttershy grimaced. She wanted to help Rarity, but what would Pinkie say? Would she be open to Rarity coming over for their party or would she be angry? It might be good for Pinkie to interact with another pony, but it might send her backwards instead of forward. The look Rarity gave her made the decision for her. She needed somepony. Pinkie needed somepony. She and Pinkie had been standing only because the other propped them up. Rarity had nopony to support her. "I'm staying with Pinkie Pie in Sugar Cube Corner. She's not a brute, Rarity. She's just sad. We're having a party tonight, just for the two of us, but I'm sure it would be okay if you wanted to come over."

"Pinkie Pie? You're, you're sure it would be okay? I've heard terrible rumors about her. She's not … how do I say this eloquently, crazy? Well, I mean … in a violent way, not the usual, er, Pinkie way." Rarity tried to not sound brash, but spending the night with a murderous psychopath didn't exactly sound like a good time.

"Rarity, I'm trusting you. Please trust me. I know what Ponyville is like and what it has done to so many ponies, but Pinkie isn't bad. She saved me, Rarity. She saved my life and took me in. There are so few ponies I can trust now. She's the only one now, really. I want you to be part of my life again, but Pinkie is part of it too. She needs help, just like us." Fluttershy's sighed sadly. Her best friends were afraid of each other. How had that happened? They used to be so close.

Rarity bit her lip and weighed her options. She wanted to have friends again, but what if Pinkie was everything the rumors said? Fluttershy didn't believe so, but Fluttershy was often naïve to such things. Still, if Pinkie Pie had not harmed the pegasus, and she had indeed done the opposite in saving her life, maybe she could find some mote of friendship again. She had to take the chance. The prospect of another night alone with only the occasional scream or stray gunshot to keep her company sent a shiver down the unicorn's spine. "Okay, Fluttershy. I will be there before nightfall. I … I need to get home; Sweetie will be on her way by now. I look forward to seeing you again later."

Fluttershy said her goodbyes and the pair parted. Fluttershy paid for her groceries and started home. She hoped she had not made a mistake. She was afraid Pinkie might hate her. She had been so temperamental and hard to predict lately. Fluttershy would have to find some way to tell Pinkie, but for now she had to make it back through Ponyville to Sugar Cube Corner. Ice formed in her stomach and she trotted a little livelier, trying to stay away from alleys and other ponies as she made her way home.

Twilight and Spike were excited to meet Sweetie Belle's sister; a change of pace was a great thing for them. They had been cooped up on the farm for a full month and the dirt road to Ponyville was like an epic journey to the pair. They listened as Sweetie Belle sang a song she had been practicing and responded with polite praise.

"Don't quit yer day job, Sootie."

JackSlap apparently was not appreciative of music. The green earth pony looked annoyed and the distaste at being told to accompany the unicorns and their dragon friend wasn't exactly what he had hoped to be doing with the day.

"Really, Mr. JackSlap, do you have to be so rude? Her voice is lovely. She has worked hard on that song," Twilight responded to the crude stallion. Twilight already did not like JackSlap due to his frictional attitude, but stepping on a filly's confidence was something altogether rotten. Twilight cast a disgusted look at the purple-maned stallion with tiny cinders burning in her eyes.

"Yeah? She should work harder 'cause I've heard cats getting skinned alive that sounded better'n that." The green pony smirked with a look that said, 'I love being a dick.'

Twilight groaned in disgust, signifying that her tolerance of the stallion was wearing thin. Sweetie Belle had stopped singing and looked a little hurt, her head hanging a little lower and a displeased expression marring her pretty filly features.

Spike waddled up to the filly and smiled, patting her shoulder as he spoke soothing words. "Don't listen to that mean old pony. He's probably just jealous of your voice. It's beautiful, just like a choir, except it's just you instead of a whole bunch of ponies." His words were awkward, but the filly smiled a little.

The road became a street soon enough and JackSlap took the lead of the group, muscling his way between the two unicorns just to reiterate who was in charge.

"Okay, dames, let's get this over with as quickly as we can. I don't exactly want to be here all day. I have plans for this afternoon. Stay in a group; if ya run off and something happens to ya, I ain't liable for yer mistakes. Got it?" He was annoyed. JackSlap wanted to rough a few helpless ponies up. He had debts to collect, but he very well couldn't collect on them while he waited on this lot of losers to have their little get together. Damn it, he really felt like slapping around somepony.

The two mares rolled their eyes and conceded the point to the stallion. Sometimes they just had to feel like they were in control. Twilight just wanted to shut the stallion up, while Sweetie just thought he was a complete dick. In fact she knew he was a complete dick. Jackslap was bound to Applejack because she had taught him the meaning of bullying and he fell in place behind her.

Sweetie sighed in annoyance. As if Sweetie didn't make this trip, by herself, once a week. Nopony would mess with her. They all knew for whom she worked and where she stayed. That was also the reason Rarity's shop hadn't been victimized since Sweetie had become a part of the Apple Family. Rarity had hinted to Sweetie that she suspected the filly was doing more than playing with Apple Bloom, and she had no idea how correct she was, but Sweetie wanted to keep Rarity from worrying about her. She was fine. She was more than fine. She was making a life for herself, which while cruel, would be safe. The filly became quiet and thought about her sister.

Thoughts of Rarity quickly changed to thoughts of growing up in the old Ponyville and, then, to bitter thoughts about all she had lost. The purple-and-pink-maned filly missed her parents. Ever since the day they had been ruthlessly shot and killed for the bits they had on them, she had sought a refuge from the wilds of urban Ponyville. Applejack had given her that. She had also supplied safety to Rarity, though the dressmaker did not know it. Sweetie had acquired it for her. Sweetie had come a long way from the innocent filly she had been when she first came to Sweet Apple Acres.

At first, Sweetie really was just Apple Bloom's friend. Sweetie, discouraged and depressed to her lowest point, had needed a place to be apart. She couldn't take being near her parents' scent. Even when she moved in with Rarity, the hole in her heart grew. For nearly a year, she had dealt with the longing for and pain over her dead parents. Rarity just wasn't her mother, no matter what she did. Rarity, in desperation, had sought out Applejack, her comrade turned criminal, hoping to reunite their younger siblings. Applejack had accepted and invited Sweetie to spend a summer with them on the farm. Apple Bloom needed a friend and Applejack trusted Rarity. Sweetie had been staying with the Apples for several years since then and had become the best friend of Apple Bloom.

The sweet Apple filly suspected nothing underhanded from her farm and genuinely believed they were a legitimate farming family. Sweetie loved her; they were best friends. When the time came, Sweetie would help prop the innocent filly up. Learning the truth would be a mind-scarring event for her, but Sweetie would be there for her. She would help build her to be stronger than Applejack and would be her right hoof. She wanted to be. It was her goal. With that amount of power she could control instead of submit.

The only trade off was innocence. Sweetie had found a new home, but what had she given up? Ever since discovering Applejack's secret and asking to become part of her mob, Sweetie had been privy to many new experiences, most of which she would have never dreamed she could be part of, but she had. The filly had witnessed murders, torture, and violence that used to wake her up at night, drenched in sweat and screaming herself awake. She had needed time alone to cry and deal with the images she had witnessed. Over time, she had steeled her resolve and, though not taking pleasure in the acts, found herself emotionally numb to the pleadings of others and the sounds of snapping bones.

Her only innocence left was when she played with Apple Bloom. The pair played most of the day, joined by the ignorant pegasus, Scootaloo. Ugh. Sweetie Belle couldn't believe she had ever been friends with that idiot. Scoot had come to live with the Apples' under similar circumstance. Her parents hadn't been taken; they had abandoned her. Apple Bloom had asked if Applejack would, please, let Scootaloo live with them. She had nowhere to go and couldn't stand seeing her friend disappear to an orphanage somewhere. Applejack had too soft a heart for Apple Bloom and had brought the pegasus to live with them. Scootaloo had begun training to be part of the Apple Family slightly earlier than Sweetie. Maybe that was why Applejack had accepted Sweetie. She was already building up trustworthy associates for her younger sister and who would be better than the two fillies Apple Bloom trusted completely? It made sense to Sweetie, but problems had arisen from it.

Buck that moron, Scootaloo. But, Sweetie pushed those thoughts away; she would get what she deserved. She thought about her mom and dad. They had been so caring to her and she loved them. She never thought the world could be so wrong until the day they had been taken from her life. That act had pushed her to where she was now, but … what would they think of their daughter if they were here now? She was safe, that was a plus, and she had set it up to be safe for life, with a career. But, it wasn't something of which most parents would be proud. A mobster? A drug pusher? Would she murder the parents of another foal one day? Would she start a new circle of pain for that young pony? Her parents would be ashamed … She knew they would. The filly sighed deeply and wished they were on their way back to the farm. That's where she belonged. Rarity was going to make these feelings worse. Her parents would have been proud of Rarity.

Twilight saw the filly looking morosely to the street. Jackslap, that jerk. He had hurt the filly's feelings. If AJ hadn't suggested his company for safety, Twilight would tell him to get lost but, given her only run-in with Ponyville citizens, his company might need to be tolerated for safety's sake. Twilight eased over to her friend and pupil and bumped her playfully. She smiled to the filly when she looked up questioningly, tears formed in her eyes. Twi wanted to slap JackSlap for making Sweetie cry, but let it go, for now. "Your voice is beautiful, Sweetie Belle. Don't listen to that jerk. Don't get upset because of him. He probably didn't get enough hugs as a foal."

Sweetie listened to Twilight. She hadn't realized she had started crying until Twilight mentioned it, in response to which she quickly wiped her eyes. Twilight thought she was upset because of JackSlap? She hadn't listened to that loser's opinions ever, but it was nice that Twi was trying to make her feel better. Twilight was so nice. She was the smartest pony Sweetie had ever met and her tutelage was really paying off. She really liked the unicorn. She hoped she would stay on the farm for a long time and be her friend and mentor. Sweetie Belle smiled and suddenly hugged the older mare. "Don't worry, I'm okay."

"I'm proud of you, Sweetie. Let's tell your sister how good a student you are. Maybe even show her a few tricks? I bet she'd be proud of you too."

"Yeah, let's do that, Twilight. I'm sure she'd like it."Sweetie was silent for a moment. "Hey, Twilight?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks. You know, for teaching me."

"We're here. I'll wander around out here and make sure everything's okay. If you ain't back out here in two hours you can walk back to Sweet Apple Acres by yourselves." JackSlap stood by the door to Rarity's Boutique and surveyed the area.

The others were surprised to have arrived already and Twilight looked the building over. It once held splendor and beauty, but that time had passed leaving the building looking old and worn. Ponyville in general had that look to it. Twilight had seen a few nicer buildings in the distance, but that must have been near the town center, an area that was near the Royal Guard station. She knew this because she had taken the time to study a map of Ponyville. She had inquired about the town from several of the workers who came from town to Sweet Apple Acres. She would have a conversation with the Princess, after her task was over, about giving aid to Ponyville.

The windows held ponnequins with sunhats and glasses and swimsuits set in front of screens painted to depict the beach. Apparently, Rarity was appealing to the summer crowd, but why would a pony wear a swimsuit? Putting clothes on in summer didn't make sense to Twilight. In her defense, the swimsuits were beautifully crafted with tiny frills and the hats were large enough to almost use as umbrellas themselves. She heard Sweetie knock on the door and a moment later the door swung open.

"Sweetie Belle! Oh come here, my little sister. I have missed you so much, darling!" Rarity, a white unicorn with styled long purple mane and tail, grabbed Sweetie up in a hug and kissed her cheeks. "Your such a precious thing. Have you been behaving? You simply must spend more time here. In fact, you should stay for the summer!"

Twilight chuckled to herself quietly as Sweetie struggled to get free of her older sister's grasp. Rarity was pretty, but looked as if she took a lot of time each day to style herself. Rarity, Sweetie had explained, was only about 10 years older than she, which would make her only a year or two older than Twilight, but on closer inspection she seemed to have to use make-up to present herself her age. Twi supposed living in a town like Ponyville could age a mare quickly.

"You must be Sweetie's new teacher, Twilight Sparkle, is that right?" Rarity smiled happily to Twilight who returned the expression and nodded. "Yes. It is nice to meet you, Rarity. Sweetie has told me so much about you. And this is my assistant, Spike."

Spike was stunned. His mouth hung open as he gazed at the white unicorn. He had never seen any creature so beautiful in his life. He could feel his heart swelling and beating. He barely registered his name and then the ivory goddess turned her attention to him. She might as well have been a cockatrice because her stare froze him in place. The useless jargon that came from his mouth as he attempted to speak sounded like a different language.

"Ooh, a dragon. I don't speak dragon, but it sounded divine." She actually blushed a little. She loved foreign accents and Spike was a cute creature. "Spike, such a brutish name. Are you a conqueror or a knight in shining armor, Spike?" She had lived long enough to recognize Spike's state as lovestruck. It wasn't the first time it had happened when she met somepony new. She smirked and ate it up. It had been a long while since she had captivated the attention of another. "I bet you're quite the little hero, Spike. Come in, everypony, please. I have lunch ready and we have so much to talk about."

She held the door for them trio and looked out at JackSlap who smirked back at her, looking her up and down with lust in his eyes. "I'm not overly fond of you, JackSlap, but would you like to come in as well?"

"Do I get to be your little conqueror if I do?" His grin was sickening and his eyes traveled inappropriately across her body. Rarity shuddered at the thought of the green stallion ravaging her. He grinned in response.

"Have a good time in the heat then. Maybe the sun will bake some manners into you." She slammed the door and went to take care of her guests.

JackSlap chuckled and watched as ponies went about their daily business. He watched three drug deals go down in the first thirty minutes and scowled as two of them involved the transfer of bits for little pink squares wrapped in cellophane.

To his delight, that cream-colored bimbo with the blue and pink mane made the last transaction. Bon Bon. She had barely made enough bits to pay the boss back so he didn't get to rough her up again, like he wanted, but he was in a bad mood and he didn't really need a reason to slap her around. It would be a nice little reminder. Anyway, she was buying those little pink squares. They were more affordable for the perpetually bitless. "Hey, Bon Bon! Let's have a little talk about what you're buying!" She turned, recognized him, and ran.

Good, the chase would whet his appetite for violence.

Pinkamena had slept well and felt full of energy. She had dreamed of the partying cupcakes. They danced, sang, and formed a conga line that ended with each one jumping into a bowl of jell-o, serving as a pool. It looked like so much fun and that jell-o pool was a great idea. She didn't know why she never thought of that. The anticipation for their party was so strong that when she woke up, she burst from the bed to see what Fluttershy had bought at the store. She galloped into the den, causing Fluttershy, taken by surprise, let out a little shriek. Pinkamena chuckled at her. "It's just me, Shy; I'm sorry. What did you get at the store? Did you find the turnip?"

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief and grinned to her friend, getting to her hooves and lifting a paper chain she had been making for the last couple of hours. It was simplistic, but colorful. She had cut strips from several colored stacks of paper, pink, yellow, and white, and used the strips to form a chain that spooled in an impressive pile on the floor. "Oh, um, I bought everything on your list, so, um, yes, I got the turnip. I have been making this since I got back. What … what do you think, Pinkie? You are the professional." She held the chain out towards the somewhat less flat-haired pink pony for inspection. She had labored on the chain and hoped it would garner Pinkie's approval.

Pinkie's expression underwent a dark change. She scrutinized the paper chain, pulling length after length for inspection and cocking a disapproving eye to Fluttershy every now and again. She finally just dropped it and lifted a hoof to her forehead. She looked annoyed.

Fluttershy cast her eyes down sadly; she had failed Pinkie again. She thought she was doing such a good thing. "I'll get rid of it, I'm sorry." She gasped when Pinkie's hooves wrapped around her as she chuckled and hugged the pegasus.

"Get rid of it? It's beautiful! I can't wait to see what else you bought! I was just pranking you a little, Shy."

"Oh! I thought you were serious. You really like it?" The pegasus hugged Pinkie back and softly laughed at the prank.

"I couldn't have made a better paper chain if I tried. It will look so good around this room. Don't you think? What else did you get?" Pinkamena hadn't been this excited in a very long time and broke the hug with a large happy grin. She looked at a shopping bag and smirked. "They are in there aren't they? The streamers and balloons?" She hardly waited for Fluttershy to nod before tearing into them.

Fluttershy's heart soared as she watched Pinkie pull out the streamers and the three bags of balloons she had bought for their party. Pinkie ripped one open with her teeth and pulled out a long skinny balloon. She immediately blew into it and watched it fill from bottom to top and stretch out to nearly three feet. Fluttershy watched Pinkie bend the specialty balloon into different shapes. The squeaking of the balloon's contortion was music to her ears. She hadn't failed. She had succeeded in making her friend happy. If it only lasted the night it would be worth it, but she hoped Pinkie would maintain the joy.

Flutters couldn't exactly make out what Pinkie was turning the balloon into and cocked her head at it until Pinkie suddenly turned, with lightning speed, and pushed it down around Flutters' ears. Flutters tried to look up as best she could and her eyes crossed upwards at the balloon. "Oh! It's a hat."

Pinkamena nodded and gathered the balloons together in her hooves. "Yeah, and bent into a butterfly, Fluttershy! I thought you would like it. I should still have a helium tank in the basement. Would you like to come with me and fill these other balloons up?"

Flutters had taken the hat off to look at the butterfly shape. It was a yellow balloon and Pinkie had expertly bent it into the shape of a butterfly's wings. Replacing it upon her head, Flutters' pulled a roll of streamers from the shopping bag. She was nervous about basements. "Um, I'll just hang some of these streamers, if that's okay with you."

"Sure. It's nearly three o'clock. I'll fill these up and help you get this place decorated; then it's going to take some time to bake the cake and other tasty treats. Your party is going to be the best!"

Fluttershy watched Pinkie dash from the room and heard the door to the basement slam. She chuckled and started unrolling the streamer when she remembered Rarity. Oh no … She had forgotten to tell Pinkie. Pinkie was in such a good mood, too. She really didn't want to ruin it. Maybe … maybe if she waited until the party had started, Pinkie would be at the height of joy and would be more accepting.

Or, maybe the fall would just be greater.

Pinkie returned impossibly fast pulling an almost psychotic amount of balloons with her. Balloons of every color floated every which way around the room. Pinkie giggled and handed over control of the floating mass to Fluttershy. Pinkie was wearing a hat made from a balloon, as well. Her hat was a simple circular design, but had three smaller balloons tied to it in the color and arrangement of her cutie mark. They billowed back and forth from her quick motions. "Here, Shy! Put them wherever you want. I have another surprise!"

Shy had one too, but was having a difficult time spilling it. What if Pinkie cancelled the party because she had invited Rarity? What if she threw Rarity out when she arrived? Rarity was just like them, alone and needing a friend. She needed friends, too. There were so many questions running through Shy's head that she was still just standing there with the floating party favors crowding around her when Pinkie grunted from the other room.

"Flutters! Help me, please … I must be out of shape. I can't get this thing over the last step!"

Shy let loose of the balloons, which, sensing freedom at last, expanded across the ceiling and filled every corner of the room with their multicolored emancipation.

Shy entered the kitchen and dashed to help her friend, who was struggling with something at the basement door. Her teeth were gritted and her forelegs were holding something shaded in cobwebs. Shy wasn't really much help, but together the pair rolled the device over the lip of the last stair and collapsed on the floor breathing heavily until their giggles began to replace the heavy breathing. Fluttershy sat up to see what Pinkie had brought up.

Pinkamena wiped the swaying cobwebs from the thing to reveal a faded favorite, the Party Cannon.

The cannon had seen better days, but Pinkie assured Fluttershy that it would work. She had checked it downstairs and everything was in working order; it was just covered in cobwebs and dust. She immediately began cleaning the party favor. By the end, the pile of cobwebs was impressive, but the device looked much better.

"Okay, let's decorate!" Pinkie pushed the cannon into the den and gasped. "Oh Flutters! I love what you did with the balloons!

"Thanks, Pinkie. Um, I need to tell you something." Flutters followed Pinkie and watched as she loaded the Party Cannon with streamers.

Pinkamena was mumbling to herself, a bad habit she had picked up while being alone for so long, "Thirty degrees to the left. Not enough decorations … need confetti." The pink earth pony was lost in thought and began tearing a roll of streamers into pieces and stuffing them into the cannon, at one point sliding her front half down into the barrel and stamping the party ammunition tightly into the back, only her waist and rear swishing back and forth in front of Fluttershy.

Flutters blushed a little with embarrassment for her friend as she clearly was in the party zone and had not heard what Flutters had stated. Shy hated to burst her bubble, but she needed to know. "Pinkie … I invited Rarity to our party. I saw her at the store and, oh dear, she was so sad, Pinkie. You should see her. I had to invi-"

"I can tell you're talking, but I can't hear you, Shy. Oof! Um ... I'm stuck in here. Can you pull me out?" Pinkie wiggled and wriggled to get loose, but she had climbed so deeply into the cannon that her hooves no longer touched the floor and she could not gain enough leverage to pull herself free of the device.

Fluttershy blushed a deeper shade of crimson, but took Pinkie's tail and pulled on the pink mare until she was able to set her hooves against the mouth of the Party Cannon and came out with a loud POP! She fell on top of Fluttershy and giggled just before hugging the pegasus again and helping her to her hooves.

"Shy, thank you for helping me." Pinkamena sat on her haunches and looked deeply into Flutters' eyes.

"Well, um, I couldn't just leave you inside of there."

"No, I mean …" She sighed and looked away in embarrassment or shame, Flutters could not tell which. "… I mean, pushing me to have this party. I … I don't know what is going to happen after tonight. I am having such a good time right now, but Ponyville is still rotten. It's not the same as it used to be. Tomorrow I might wake up and come in here just to stomp on every balloon. This party doesn't change what is going on outside of Sugar Cube Corner, but for today I really feel happy again. Thank you for helping me feel this way again, even if it's only for tonight." Pinkamena felt a tear drip down her muzzle and turned away suddenly.

"But that's tomorrow, right Fluttershy? Tonight is in the future and the present is now. Let's not ruin it with this mushy stuff."

Flutters was touched and moved to Pinkie's side, hugging her gently. Tonight's the future … let Pinkie be happy for now. If Flutters ruined everything by inviting Rarity, let it be ruined later and not now. Pinkie was right. "Right, Pinkie. Let's just have fun for now and let tomorrow be in the future. It doesn't matter right now."

Pinkie smiled and nuzzled Fluttershy. "Well, let's start it with a bang!" The pink pony smirked and yanked the ignition on the Party Cannon.

Streamers and confetti exploded across the room; balloons blasted back against the wall and rebounded back across the room from the force. Pinkie was an artist whose medium was a party. How she inherently calculated the mathematics to so perfectly decorate a room with a war device was beyond the scope of any pony in Equestria, but the room had totally changed. The alteration from dismal and gray to an assault on the senses of color and joy in the span of one explosion was a miracle, but the newly awoken party pony had done it.

The party room was ready. It was time to get baking.


	11. Yeah, Sure

Rarity had fed her visitors and then they had talked about different topics, safe topics. Twilight explained how advanced Sweetie Belle was for an untrained unicorn and the filly leapt at the chance to show her skills. She displayed a few minor cantrips before making a rudimentary image of Rarity before her sister. It had been quite a good show, but had left the filly exhausted. Sweetie had fallen asleep on the couch and Rarity had used her own magic to levitate the young mare up to her room. Rarity came back down after a few minutes and sat opposite Twilight and Spike.

Rarity worried about what Sweetie did at Sweet Apple Acres and she meant to pry some information from this unicorn. She smiled sweetly and reclined on her sofa. "I understand that you are Sweetie's teacher in the ways of magic, Twilight. I do hope she's an astute student. I suppose there is a call for magically gifted unicorns at an apple farm, though for what purposes I cannot conceive."

Twilight shrugged, "I suppose there is. I'm training her because she is young and capable in the ways of magic. If she lived in Canterlot, she would have probably been one of the brightest in her class. I hate to think her talents would just go to waste because of a lack of educational opportunities in Ponyville."

"Yes, I'm sure she would be. She is a very bright little filly. She is so intelligent that sometimes she gets bored and gets into trouble." Rarity gave twilight a cold, withering glare as she spoke. It was the closest she could come to a threat without causing a commotion. "I do hope she is staying OUT of trouble."

The sentiment was lost on Twilight. "Oh no, she's a wonderful filly. I don't think she causes any kind of trouble. I'll keep my eye on her, though. I promise to keep her busy with magical study, that way she won't get bored enough to get into trouble."

Spike perked up a little. He had previously been happy to just stare and listen to the white unicorn. Her voice was like syrup and the way the light caught her hair set fire to Spike's soul, but the way she spoke had become suddenly icy. He listened a little more closely.

"Oh, good. Thank you, Twilight. So, what are you doing in Sweet Apple Acres? Are you the one responsible for teaching Applejack how to cultivate her crops?" The white unicorn pushed a little. Everypony knew AJ sold drugs and Rarity wanted to know Twilight's role in the operation.

"Oh, no. Spike and I are not from around here. We're here from Canterlot. I was tasked with discovering the magic of friendship. I'm trying to use it to help Ponyville." Twilight kind of sounded like a superhero. She chuckled at the idea of herself as a heroine—Brainiac, the paragon of good, empowered by knowledge!

Rarity looked a little dumbfounded, of which Spike took notice, and asked with more than a little doubt in her voice, "You are trying to learn the magic of friendship … from Applejack?" She was stupefied. Maybe everypony did not know AJ was a drug dealer. "How, exactly, did you arrive in Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight?"

"Oh, well … We were flying in a hot air balloon and these two ponies shot us down to sell the balloon for bits. Applejack rescued us from them and took us back to the farm. She was the one who taught me about Ponyville's situation. I just can't believe there are so many ponies that are so unfriendly." The lavender mare sighed. "I hope I can help."

Rarity couldn't help but give Twilight a look of confusion. Did she really not know what went on at Sweet Apple Acres? Was she trying throw Rarity off track? She would play her game, for now. "Well, for a start, getting rid of those disgusting drugs would eliminate a large portion of crime. So many ponies are addicted to the vile stuff and will do almost anything to get it."

Twilight listened closely to the mare for ideas. Drugs! If she could get rid of them, it would benefit Ponyville. "It sounds logical, but if you took all of the drugs out at once it would cause a mass panic. One would have to magically alter the mind of each pony or offer some method of weaning him or her from substance abuse. A difficult undertaking, but I suppose it could be a possibility."

Spike continued to pay attention to what Rarity was saying. Was she implying that something fishy was going on at Sweet Apple Acres, or was he just reading too much into her tones and mannerisms?

The white unicorn wasn't quite sure if Twilight was being intentionally obtuse or if she was serious. Rarity sat perplexed for a moment and then decided to just blatantly ask the lavender mare. There was no use in beating around the bush with the answers she was receiving. "Twilight, darling, you do know that Applejack …" Rarity paused as she heard hoofsteps coming from the stairs, Sweetie must have woken up. Damn! She had almost gotten it out. She had to change her question so Sweetie wouldn't get clued into the conversation. "… is a dear friend of mine. I'm sure she is glad to have you around. You are so … intelligent."

Twilight blushed a little. "Thank you, Rarity. I'm glad to be here. I hope we can be friends. I would like to start working inside Ponyville more. I don't exactly know where to start."

Opportunity. Rarity beamed at the unicorn as Sweetie came across the room from upstairs yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Well you are more than welcome to come here whenever you want. Business is a little dull right now; if it weren't for my online store, I would have a fiscal emergency. Therefore, I have plenty of time to spend if you would care to visit. Of course, my little knight is welcome to join us." She indicated Spike, who turned a bright red.

"Of course, I would love to visit you again." Twilight had hope for her task. If Rarity helped her, she would be able to make acquaintances with others in town and, hopefully, find a way to aid its citizens.

Sweetie Belle yawned loudly and point to a window. "It's getting dark. We should probably head back to the farm. Sorry I fell asleep, Rarity. I was just so tired after this morning's training. I'll come see you again soon." Sweetie looked cute with her mane disheveled and her eyes still full of sleep.

Rarity rustled her younger sister's mane and kissed her on top of the head getting a squeak and a playful chuckle from the young filly. She really wanted to talk to Twilight more and press her for details. Maybe next time she would have more time alone with the lavender mare. "I suppose you should go. It's not safe after dark." She got up to see her guests off.

The front door opened and the green stallion immediately stood up from beside the door. He had an unpleasant smirk on his face as if he had enjoyed his time outside, odd considering his reluctance to come into town earlier that morning. "Well, you are all lucky I stayed this long. I was about ready ta head back alone."

The group collectively rolled their eyes at JackSlap and said their farewells to one another. Rarity watched the group until they were out of sight and then sighed. She hoped Sweetie wasn't doing anything bad. She suspected something was happening, felt it in her bones, but she didn't know why. Sweetie had never shown any nasty qualities to her. Maybe she was just overreacting. She sighed again and looked at the sky as it faded to a dark pink. The sun would be down soon. Oh! She had to get to Sugar Cube Corner. She hoped she could make it before dark; being caught outside after dark was risking one's well being. She dashed back inside to pick up a pair of small gifts for her former, and hopefully soon to be again, friends.

Pinkamena had baked for three solid hours and had constructed a veritable feast of sweet baked goods. They had been placed in the den on a table that was barely large enough to accommodate everything. There was an assortment of tasty snacks such as cupcakes, pie, cake, doughnuts, muffins, chips, a bowl of punch, and cookies. Most of the items were iced with a variety of colors and shapes to celebrate the occasion. The baker of the treats came into the room with a dusty boom box and a flimsy plastic container of sleeved discs. Across the room, a yellow pegasus showed signs of worry and peeked out of one of the boarded shut windows at the waning daylight.

"What music did you want to listen to, Shy? I haven't looked through these in so long I forgot what I had. Canterlot Express, Wheatzer, Filly Joel, Green Hay, Maredonna … Wow … when did I listen to that? Costeed and Canteria? No, too serious. We need something lively! AH! Dj Pon3! This will be great!"

Fluttershy watched Pinkie set up the boom box and looked back out the window. The sun was almost down. If Rarity was coming she would need to get here quickly. That was stress number one. Number two was that if Rarity arrived what would Pinkie say?

Flutters had taken Pinkie's sentiment about the present being now to heart, but the dread of "what if" situations had begun terrorizing the pegasus' mind shortly after and her excitement had been curtailed due to her worries. She vaguely recognized the question Pinkie had asked and turned to her friend. "Oh, um, whatever you want is fine."

Pinkamena cocked her head to Flutters and inserted the disc. She wondered why Flutters had been so quiet the last hour; this party was for her after all. She had pushed for it hard enough that she should be all laughs and smiles, but, instead, she was being kind of a deadbeat. Pinkamena picked up a cupcake and walked to her friend. "Hey, Shy. Eat this cupcake. It's special, for you." It really wasn't, but maybe she could get the pegasus to lighten up a little.

"I'm not hungry Pinkie. Thank you, though." Flutters looked away nervously and Pinkie knew something was up.

"What's going on, Shy? You wanted this party. You worked for it and challenged your fears for it and now you are not having fun. It's your party, Shy. What's wrong?" Pinkamena's voice was soft and soothing. The pink pony had true heartfelt interest in the pegasus' welfare. All of which made the pegasus feel worse about inviting Rarity.

"Nothing … I'm … Pinkie, I need to tell you something. I did something that you might be angry with me about." Fluttershy cringed slightly. It was time to tell the pink mare the truth.

Pinkamena's expression was one of confusion, but her ears bent forward through some curving strands of mane. "What are you talking about, Shy?"

"I … I … invited …" A sudden knocking rang through Sugar Cube Corner and Pinkamena's attention turned to that. Fluttershy was too late in confessing. She hoped it would be okay, that Pinkie would be happy to see Rarity.

"Stay here, Shy. Stay quiet." Pinkamena moved towards the door, stopping to yank the long knife she had used to cut the cake free of the confection. Fluttershy tried to warn the party pony that it was only Rarity and that she was sorry she didn't tell her, but her voice stuck in her throat.

Pinkamena raised the blade above her head and cocked it back to swing once she got to the door. She grasped the doorknob and stepped back so the door would open to nothing and then she would jump in front and swing her razor sharp knife into the pony fool enough to tangle with her and Flutters.

Pinkamena jerked the door open and leapt in front, bringing the knife arcing towards … Rarity!? Pinkamena barely changed the knife's direction just as the unicorn screeched in surprise and horror. What the buck was Rarity doing here? Pinkamena hadn't even spoken to her in years. "Rarity? Why are you here?" Pinkamena gave her an incredulous look.

Rarity was stunned; near death experiences were not her favorite hobby. She had galloped most of the way to Sugar Cube Corner to escape the streets before nightfall and had been welcomed by a sweeping kitchen knife. Fluttershy said Pinkie wasn't the monster the rumors told, but this display was proving that statement false. The unicorn found her voice after a moment. "I was … invited to a party here, but I can leave, Pinkie. I don't need to be here. I'm sorry I interrupted ..." The white mare started retreating backward from the knife-wielding party pony.

Pinkamena raised an eyebrow and then turned back towards the den and saw Fluttershy visibly shrink. It was sort of silly how the pegasus expected the worst of every situation. The dark pink pony turned back to Rarity and part of her suddenly jumped for joy at the thought of reuniting with another long lost friend. Another part of her wanted to scare the snooty white mare away and then assault the pathetic pegasus with foul language. Keeping things from her, after all she did for that yellow coward? Pinkamena's smile faltered and her teeth gritted together. The first words were rushing up her throat when she heard the voice of the cupcake calling her from the other world, the happy refrigerator world.

"Not all the ponies have changed. You are not alone anymore, Pinkie. It's party time! Let loose of your anger. Embrace the moment and feel complete once more."

Pinkamena thought about it for a moment and suddenly all the bad emotions melted away from her as if they had never existed in the first place. "RARITY!" The pink pony pulled the unicorn inside and slammed the door, locking it, and turned to the purple-maned fashionista. "It's SOOO good to see you! Where have you been? I've missed you! FLUTTERSHY! Rarity is here!"

Rarity faltered a pitiful smile, but when Fluttershy came into the room and Pinkie, almost magically, produced a balloon hat in the shape of a diamond, the worry dropped away and her smile spread. "Pinkie, I've … I've missed you too. I ran into Fluttershy today and she was kind enough to invite me to your party. I didn't think you partied anymore, but I am so happy you do."

Rarity, with tears glistening in her almond-shaped eyes, gave each of them a small gift: a kazoo for Pinkie and a box of animal snacks for Fluttershy's animal friends. Even though the gifts were small, they meant a lot to the ponies. This was the beginning of a new friendship for them, one they had thought long gone. The three realized that there was hope left in the town if they searched it out. Sometimes friendships could weaken, but with a little effort that same friendship could become stronger than it was before. It just took a little work, a little acceptance, and a little trust.

The three ponies made merry almost the entire night. Music blared, snacks were devoured, and much joy was shared between the three mares. The ponies had the best night of their recent lives playing together. They danced and sang and laughed into the small hours of the morning.

After a while, exhaustion began to drag the party to a halt. Pinkamena retrieved a blanket for Rarity, who had fallen asleep on the couch, and she and Shy retired to the bed. The bed had never felt better and the pair lay beside each other, still smiling as sleep came for them.

"I thought you would be mad, Pinkie. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Rarity. I didn't want to spoil your good mood. I was afraid you would be mad. I met her in the grocery store and … Pinkie she was so lonely, just like us. I had to invite her."

"She's our friend again, Shy. I'm glad you invited her. I'm sorry I've been so unpredictable for so long. You shouldn't be afraid of me. I feel bad about it."

"You shouldn't. I know you have had it hard for a long time. I'm just glad it worked out."

"Me, too. I think this was the best night of my life. I feel like I finally know who I am again."

Flutters could hardly see in the darkness, but she could make out Pinkie's form just barely. Something as different about it. Something she couldn't quite point out.

Pinkamena continued, "I'm so tired, Shy, but I wanted to thank you again for helping to open my eyes. Things aren't so bad when you have friends you can count on. Thanks, Shy." The dark form leaned over Fluttershy and kissed her cheek. "You are my best friend, Flutters."

Fluttershy smiled in the darkness and watched her friend turn away and almost immediately begin snoring. In the pitch of night, Flutters finally identified the bizarre quality in Pinkie's silhouette that had seemed so out of place. All at once, everything seemed whole again and the pegasus felt a burst of pride and elation.

Instead of the long, flat hair Fluttershy had come to accept on the pink earth pony, her mane was bouncy, poofy, and full.

Darkness had fallen, but the group had almost reached Sweet Apple Acres. The farm was in sight as they came through the dirt road towards the main gate. They had all had a good time. Sweetie, though she was happy to be back on the farm, had enjoyed showing off her skills; Twilight enjoyed making a new friend; and Spike, though wary and still thinking about details of the odd conversation that had occurred while Sweetie was napping, had spent the day enchanted by the beautiful Rarity. Even JackSlap enjoyed his day in Ponyville; he had caught Bon Bon and slapped her around, culminating in choking the mare until she fell unconscious.

Sweetie and Twilight talked back and forth about Rarity and the boutique. Twilight didn't know much about the life of a seamstress, but planned on acquiring books on the subject as soon as she could get her hooves on them. Sweetie was happy that she and Twilight were getting along very well. The lavender mare was so smart and wise with magic and Sweetie hoped she would be that good some day.

They crossed the threshold to Sweet Apple Acres and JackSlap made some snide comment and wandered off, leaving the mares and the dragon to their own devices. They were not unthankful for his departure.

Spike yawned and Twilight chuckled at him. "Sweetie, I think we need to head to bed. Romeo here has had a long day."

"Hey! It's not my fault if she thinks I'm a knight in shining armor, Twilight."

Twilight made a soft laugh and smirked at Sweetie. "I'll wake you up for another lesson in the morning, Sweetie. Goodnight. Come on, Romeo." The pair headed into the farmhouse.

Sweetie Belle wasn't tired yet, as she'd had a long nap in the boutique, and wandered off to find a quiet spot to practice her mage creation technique. She hoped to refine the image until it was an exact match of her subject. With just a little more work and devotion, before long she would be able to conjure images of anypony at whim. She walked along a line of trees into the small central grove.

The night air wafted gently across the young mare, teasing her with a hint of coolness in the thick warmth of the summer night. Sweetie looked up at the new moon as it lifted into the heavens. She thought about her parents again. She hoped that if there was an afterlife they were happy and together ... and not looking down on her. She didn't want to think about what they might have seen her do.

The filly sighed as the thoughts dominated her mind. Sweetie needed time alone and she knew just the place. Sweetie had discovered her hiding place accidentally. The whole of the crusaders had been playing in the stream that day, searching for a way to acquire their cutie marks. They had already tried fishing, swimming, damming, and had been turning rocks over in pursuit of crawdad catching. Scootaloo, the buffoon, had gone after a large one and thrust her head under the water. Sweetie, coming from behind the pegasus in interest of her attempt, was surprised when Scoot's body tensed tightly and she jerked her head free of the stream with a loud squeal and a large crawdad with its big pincer clamped angrily onto her nostril.

Sweetie had started to laugh at the sight when Scoot kicked with her back legs and caught the unicorn right in the chin. The world went black for Sweetie and she barely recognized the cool water surrounding her as she floated down stream. Somewhere she heard Apple Bloom, but her voice was distant.

"Scoot, Sweetie is floatin' away! We gotta save her; she could drown!"

"Apple Bloom, get this thing off me! We'll get Sweetie in a minute. Yank this thing off!"

"EAAAAGHHHHH!"

"Ah'm comin' Sweetie! Wake up! She's goin' over the fall, Scoot! We gotta get'er! SWEETIE! WAKE UP! SWEETIE!"

Sweetie Belle hadn't become aware until her whole body was underwater. Thinking back on it, she must have been pulled underwater after going over the fall, gravity gaining the advantage over buoyancy with the help of the drop. Her lungs burned and she was choking. The filly thought she may have drowned herself, but kicked her little legs and, after what seemed an eternity, surfaced the stream and retched a throat full of water out of her body. She found it difficult to suck in fresh air, but fought to breathe and kicked her way to the shore. She collapsed on the bank of the stream, hacking and coughing for a short while to clear her throat of water.

Once recovered from her panic and breathing normally, she tried to figure out her location. She didn't know how long she had been unconscious. She touched her aching chin and pulled back some blood. That moron had knocked her out. She probably meant to do it and disguised it as an accident. She climbed the short bank looking for landmarks and came upon a small bed of flowers.

Sweetie's couldn't help but gasp aloud, as she had never seen so many flowers of so many colors growing together. There were many colors, all the colors of the rainbow, in fact, and they lay between a semicircle of stones, hiding them from all directions but the river. The young mare stopped to smell them, attracted to their beauty and innocence. Sweetie sat in front of the flowerbed and smiled at them. Flowers were a rarity in Sweet Apple Acres. Very few grew in the forest since the Flim Flam's machine exploded, but somehow these flowers stood defiant and grew in a secluded place, just surviving in a hostile environment. All their friends had died, but yet they carried on, making the best of their situation.

Sweetie felt at peace among the flowers. The filly dared not touch them for fear they may wither and die, but smiled and watched them until she could hear Apple Bloom's voice in the distance.

"And she went over the waterfall, Applejack! Ah hope she's okay."

Sweetie tensed at the sound of the small earth pony's concerned voice; she didn't want anypony to know about the flowers. She had to protect them so they could grow. Maybe they would blanket the whole forest someday if they were kept safe. Sweetie stood quickly and with a quick look back at the flowers, her flowers, ran to meet her friends.

Sweetie had gone back to her flowers several times, always alone, afraid others might hurt the delicate things. She liked to look on them when she felt down and this night she very much wanted to gaze on their colors and smell their sweet fragrance.

Sweetie followed the river for a short way; all she needed to do was cross the barren field and meet the stream on the other side. She stepped out into the field and stopped, as there were two ponies out there in the open area. She crouched before they spotted her and listened for them. She wasn't able to make out their identities in the darkness, but she could hear them.

"Excellent, Squirt. If you keep working your wings like that you will be flying in no time." The scratchy voice had to belong to that loser Rainbow Dash. Somehow, that addict had stopped using Sweets and now spent lots of her time with Scootaloo. That's all that wannabe bully needed, a trainer. She was sort of useless on her own, but if somepony who really knew what they were talking about, and she had to admit Rainbow did, it would aid her growth and confidence. Sweetie wanted Scoots to be less of a threat and this was not making that easy for her.

On the other hoof, Sweetie knew she had more brains in her hoof than Scootaloo did in her whole head. Maybe she could just use the pegasus. Having her as a brute might not be such a bad idea. Sweetie stayed hidden and listened.

"Rainbow, thanks for helping me. I feel stronger. When we're both flying, we'll have so much fun together. Do you think you can help me learn a Sonic Rainboom?" Scoot's voice was cheerful and full of satisfaction and admiration.

Sweetie wanted to puke.

"Scoots, I'll teach you everything I ever learned. I don't know if I will be able to perform like I used to, but I'll make sure you can."

Sweetie fought to think rationally through the shroud of annoyance and disgust at overhearing Scootaloo and Rainbow's touching moment. She could use the bully later on, surely, and, in the mean time, patch some of the holes between the two. There was really no reason to push Scootaloo. Maybe they could even be friends again. As long as she never used that wet noodle inside of her head, Sweetie had nothing to fear.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, Scoot. Keep exercising and I'll be right back."

Sweetie stuck her head up and watched Rainbow Dash disappear into the woods, probably finding a place to relieve herself. Scootaloo was flapping her wings back and forth as fast as she could. Sweetie stood and began walking towards the exercising filly. She realized as she closed the distance that Scoots had small sacks tied to her wings. Sweetie thought that being nice to the pegasus would be a good start. "Hi, Scoots! You sure are training hard. I bet you will be flying soon."

Scootaloo jumped at the voice of somepony other than Rainbow Dash. She looked over at Sweetie and made a dismissive grunt. "What do you want? Spying on me again? Get out of here. You won't find anything to use against me here."

"Scoot, I don't want to use anything against you. I thought that we were going to be nice to each other?" Sweetie recalled their last conversation, the one where she threatened to go to Applejack about Scoots' food theft for Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, right. You don't want to be nice to me anymore than I want to be nice to you. Let's stop pretending. You hate me. I hate you. We can hardly stand to look at each other." Scoot looked angry at the filly, as if she suspected Sweetie was trying to trick her.

"I'm serious, Scootaloo. We used to be friends. I want to be friends again." Sweetie's voice sounded almost desperate, but she suddenly didn't care about appearing vulnerable. Her parents would be proud of her if she could salvage this relationship. Twilight would say that it was the right thing to do. Her lavender mentor was trying to do the same thing for all of Ponyville. If Sweetie could make amends with Scoots, it would make Twilight proud of her, as well. She didn't like Scootaloo now, but maybe they could stop their rivalry before one of them got hurt.

Sweetie's large, pleading eyes were full of innocence and, for a moment, Scoots thought she saw a glimmer of the old Sweetie Belle coming through. The pegasus scoffed; the little snot was getting good at deception, too good, in fact. Scoots wouldn't let herself fall prey to it. "I don't want to be your friend! I don't care about Applejack or you. I have Rainbow Dash now. She's teaching me how to fly and that's all I ever really wanted. Leave me alone, Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie tried to be nice to the filly. She thought maybe if they were both being taught they could bond over the experience. "I think it is great that Rainbow is teaching you. Twilight is teaching me how to use magic too so the both of us ..."

"Twilight?" Scootaloo interupted with a laugh. "That Canterlot spy? I guess that makes sense. You spy on others so much, I bet you can learn a lot from her. I bet she is just using you for information, though. You are getting Applejack in trouble associating with the spy." The pegasus filly smirked at Sweetie.

Sweetie felt her temper ignite. Twilight was her friend, and a good one; she wasn't a spy for Canterlot. She wouldn't use Sweetie like that. They were friends, real friends. "She is not a spy Scootaloo. Shut your mouth."

"Yeah? What if I don't?" Scootaloo grinned at Sweetie. She wouldn't let Sweetie trick her and spy on her. The little bitch had been trying to get her in trouble for too long. Friends? Yeah, whatever. "Go jump in the stream, Sweetie. Maybe we'll get lucky and you'll really drown this time." Scoots smirked at the apparent, and surely phony, hurt in her former friend's eyes and refocused on her exercises. Rainbow would be proud that Scoots hadn't let the arrogant unicorn push her around.

Sweetie was furious, but the hurt in her eyes was genuine. She wanted to lash out at the sneering pegasus, to get the last word, but thoughts of her parents and Twilight kept her silent. She started walking away, her mind racing. Maybe she could still salvage this. She could try again after a while, after she hadn't done anything to anger Scootaloo. Maybe she could regain her trust over time. She would try, for parents, and for Twilight…

Sweetie's thoughts were interrupted by Scoots' parting shot, "Oh, and Rainbow says Twilight is a spy and a slut. Is she teaching you that, too? Is that why you went into town? To practice lying on your back?"

Sweetie spun around, snarling; she had taken enough verbal assault from the stupid bitch. She started back toward the larger filly, fuming. Nopony called her mentor a slut and got away with it. Twilight was nothing like those nasty streetwalkers, Moon Glazer and Sweet Snacks. "Buck Rainbow Dash. That addict is still as useless as she ever was. Let's see how well she teaches you to flop around on the floor needing a fix!"

"Buck you, Sweetie! If you don't shut up on your own I'm going to shut you up!" Scoots was on the edge of lashing out at the unicorn filly.

Sweetie grabbed the sack of sand on Scootaloo's wing with her magic and yanked it loose, bringing it around to strike the pegasus in the face. Sweetie wanted to shut her up. She had come to the pegasus under the banner of friendship, something Twilight was trying to do in town, and had seen it torn down and thrown in her face. Enough was enough.

Scootaloo shook the attack off and showed her teeth angrily. Without a hint of warning, Scootaloo leapt at Sweetie, knocking her onto her back and pinning her down with her hooves. She snarled as Sweetie gasped, her breath lost from the impact with the ground and the realization that Scootaloo had just pinned her, and easily. Scoot growled and raised her hoof to strike the white filly.

Sweetie tried to get her hooves up for defense, but she was unable to free them from Scootaloo's weight holding her down. She watched the hoof go up and clenched her teeth and eyes in expectation of the blow. It was going to hurt. Maybe using the sandbag to hit Scootaloo wasn't the smartest idea. It was an act of anger. Sweetie had to be smart and losing her temper dragged her down to Scoot's level. And, on her level, Sweetie would get harmed. She braced for impact.

Scootaloo finally would get a little revenge on the uppity snot. She was going to mess her pretty little face up. She would remember not to mess with Scoots again for weeks as her face healed up, hopefully not completely; Scoots hoped she would leave the haughty little know-it-all with a few scars to remember the experience. Her hoof began its descent, but somepony grabbed her from behind and pulled her off of the unicorn. "No! Let go!"

Rainbow Dash struggled with the filly to keep her off of Sweetie Belle. "Scootaloo! Stop! Calm down!"

"Rainbow! Let go! I'm tired of her always being so smart aleck and hateful to me. She hit me with a sandbag! She started it!" The angry orange pegasus fought to get loose from her hero.

"Scoot! It's not right to fight your friends. It's okay. Just calm down."

"She's not my friend! I hate her!"

"I won't train you anymore if you don't stop. You are better than this. I know you are." Rainbow was still weak from her addiction. Her body was mending but slowly and keeping the struggling Scootaloo was quickly sapping her strength.

Scootaloo growled but stopped fighting to get free of her hero. "Fine. Let me go."

Sweetie had opened her eye cautiously when the weight had been taken from her body. She watched Rainbow hold Scootaloo back from beating her up. She was glad of it. Scoot had goaded her into becoming angry. It was intellect, not brawn that would win out against her rival.

Rainbow released her friend and moved between the fillies. "Say you're sorry, Scootaloo."

"What? She started it! She said that you were ..." the filly angrily spouted, but was shut down in mid-sentence.

"I don't care what she said! Tell her you are sorry! If you want to be like me, you will listen to what I tell you." Rainbow eyed the pegasus angrily. She looked serious and strong, just like Scoots remembered.

"Fine ... I'm sorry we had a fight, Sweetie Belle. I said some mean things. I'm sorry." Scootaloo grudgingly apologized. She could barely hold eye contact with Sweetie.

Sweetie got to her hooves and made a sour face. She would make sure Scootaloo got what was coming to her. Rainbow's glare fell upon her and she wilted under it. She would play along for now. Some ponies just couldn't be treated as friends. They would just walk all over you. Or, were too stupid to understand. "I'm sorry too, Scoot. I really want to be your friend. I think I should go for now. I hope we can play together tomorrow and have fun again." Sweetie spouted niceties and turned away, walking back towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Sweetie hadn't been able to enjoy her secret place and had failed at her attempt at being nice, of which her parents would have disapproved, and Twilight, too. It really hadn't been a good night.

Rainbow watched the filly walk out of sight towards the farmhouse and turned back to her friend and fan. She could see the anger still seething in Scootaloo. She reached out and tussled the short purple mane on the orange pegasus and chuckled at her. "You're cute when you're mad, Scoots."

"She said bad things about you and me. She's always like that. She thinks she's so smart and wants to make Applejack notice her." Scoot's forelegs were crossed and her face was screwed up in a scowl.

"You are better than that, Scootaloo. You are a good, sweet filly. This place ... this place has messed with everypony. I don't want you to be like the others. One day you will fly with the WonderBolts and you won't have to stay here." Rainbow put her leg around the filly and pulled her close.

"I used to want to make Applejack notice me, too. Not anymore. I don't care about her. I just want to be with you. We could make it, Dash. If we left together, we could make it. I would feel bad about abandoning Apple Bloom, but I just want to be happy with you."

Rainbow sighed. She still hadn't talked to Applejack. The cow-mare was still spending her free time with Twilight and hadn't spoken a word to Rainbow. She did like the idea of just leaving with Scootaloo. Going somewhere far away ... but she wanted to try and change Applejack. She loved the mare and if it were possible to bring her back from the horror of herself, she had to try. Rainbow would admit her feelings to the earth pony shortly, but she had to get healthy first. She had to prove she was finished with the drugs and worthy of Applejack's love. If that attempt failed, then leaving would be an option.

If Applejack wouldn't change, Rainbow would give up on her friend and leave her to her own private Hell. It was cruel to abandon one you loved, but sometimes they simply could not be changed or reasoned with. Rainbow owed herself one good try. She had to admit her feelings and offer her help. "Scoot, I want to be happy, too. Just give me a little time; there's something I have to do. If I fail, we'll go away together. If I don't, then maybe things around here will change. Please give me a little more time."

Scootaloo snuggled into her hero's side and nodded. "Okay, Dash. I hope your plan works. I'd like to see you happy."

"Scoot, I'm happy with you. Whatever happens, I'll be happy." The multicolored mare stroked her closest friend and leaned down to kiss her head. "Let's go home and go to bed. We'll exercise more tomorrow. I think tomorrow I could use some stretches too." The cyan mare's wings were attempting to repair themselves and she yearned to feel the wind under her again, to look down on the miserable world from the untouchable sky.


	12. Two Sides of Every Story

Laughter surrounded the pink pony. Pinkie Pie, feeling like her old self again, looked around the room. It was beautifully decorated with party accessories. Streamers hung from the ceiling in all different colors, balloons floated back and forth, and several fun games were scattered around the room. This room had been designed for parties, it had to have been. It was pink and white and painted to look like the walls themselves were made of cake! They were pink at the bottom but leading up towards the ceiling they turned white with multicolored sprinkles dotting the white icing on the upper sections of each wall. The ceiling itself was solid white, but with more of the rainbow sprinkles dotting here and there. There was a table buffeted with tasty snacks and drinks and a ritzy ice sculpture of Fluttershy standing in the middle of the punch bowl. The party pony giggled and hopped around the room, taking it in and laughing at the clever designs. She didn't remember setting this up, but she must have. It was gorgeous!

Pinkie Pie found another table loaded with wrapped presents stacked on top of each other to form a pyramid. The happy pony saw this as a game in itself and took several moments to size up the weakest link. She was going to pull one of those gifts from the bottom without toppling the whole pile; her tongue poked out to the side of her mouth and she narrowed her eyes in concentration as she settled on the present she was going to withdraw.

Carefully, Pinkie wrapped her hooves around the box and, looking up to watch for signs of instability, began tugging the box from its home at the bottom of the pile. The pyramid wobbled slightly and she stopped, holding her breath as if her breathing might cause a giftalanche of epic proportions. She sighed in relief as the gently swaying pile righted itself. Pinkie Pie began tugging on the box again. Inch by inch, she worked the yellow wrapped present until it slid free of the other wrapped presents. Pinkie held the box above her head in triumph and giggled at the silly game she had played. Everything was silly, happy, and fun to the merry mare.

Pinkie checked the tag and smiled. "To: Fluttershy. From: A Friend." Pinkie read the tag and chuckled as she rolled to her back and held the gift out in front of her. This was Fluttershy's party, then! Hooray!

Pinkie rolled back to her hooves and replaced the present in the stack. She was turning around to try the punch when another tag caught her eye. She stopped and looked again to make sure she had not misread the sticker. "To: Pinkie Pie. From: Your friend. Why did she have a present at Fluttershy's party?" Pinkie checked another tag, "Fluttershy", and another "Pinkie Pie". Had she thrown a party for Fluttershy and herself? That was great! She wished she had remembered setting this one up; the painting alone must have taken a day! Either way she was so happy to be in the middle of such a great celebration … if only the other guests were around. All the presents were from "a friend". Where was this friend?

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Pinkie smiled and jerked her head back and forth in excitement for the benefactor of the gifts. Her smile turned into a confused grimace when nopony showed. "Ollie ollie ox and free!"

Nothing. Nopony came to greet Pinkie. She looked around and smirked. "Are we playing hide and seek? That's the best game ever! This one time I played hide and seek with my sisters for two straight days! I was always a good hider and I hid inside a cabinet the entire time! It was cramped and smelled weird, but it was such a good hiding place! I could hear my siblings looking for me and eventually they started calling for me, but I just covered my mouth and laughed into my hooves until they started looking in other places. My mom finally found me and boy was she mad! I guess I took it a little too seriously, because they had become really worried and went out into the forest to find me and called the local Royal Guard unit to aid in their search. When she finally found me, I was like 'WOW! You found me,' and she was all like 'Pinkie! Is this where you have been? We were worried sick! Get up to your room, young filly!' I didn't even mind being in trouble, because it was the best game of hide and seek ever! Oh … I guess I should start looking if I ever want to have a chance to hide, huh? I'm going to find you!"

Pinkie began searching for her "friend". She opened doors, leaped behind furniture, and even lifted rugs in pursuit of her prey. She sighed and looked around. There had to be somewhere she had forgotten to look. She scoured the room for possible hiding places and grinned. Aha! Under the snack table! Where else could they be? It was such a great place with the long draping tablecloth than nearly touched the pink-carpeted floor. She walked on the tips of her hooves to the table and gently ran her foreleg under the fabric.

With a might upward swing, she brought the tablecloth up and shouted triumphantly, "FOUND YOU!" But, there was nopony there.

Incorrect, but not discouraged, Pinkie turned her back to the table holding the snacks, punch, and ice sculpture. Where else could they be? She brought her hoof up to tap her chin as she became deep in thought.

"Help me, Pinkie."

Pinkie nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice. It had come from behind her, so she turned quickly to search for the voice.

"Please, Pinkie! Please help! It's so hot!"

The party pony gasped at the source of the voice. It was the ice sculpture that had been carved into the likeness of Fluttershy. How could a statue made of ice talk? Well, she supposed it might be able to. Weirder stuff had happened.

"Pinkie! Help! Help! I'm melting!" The sculpture not only asked for help, but moved. It brought its hooves down into the bowl of punch and wriggled as it began to melt before the pink mare's eyes.

Pinkie looked around for a way to cool down the statue. The room, she realized, had no windows. She ran to one door, then another, and another; all the doors were suddenly sealed again and, no matter how hard she pulled, she could not open them.

The statue began howling in agony as parts of it turned to water and ran into the bowl of bright red punch. Pinkie tried everything she could think of to cool down the screaming statue, but even blowing on it furiously didn't alleviate the shrieking thing.

"You were my friend! Why? Why wouldn't you save me? I'm DYING!" What little remained of the once Fluttershy ice statue suddenly fell apart into the bowl of liquid, sloshing gently back and forth.

Pinkie was afraid and confused and looked into the large round refreshment. Before her eyes, the watered down punch caught fire. Pinkie turned the bowl over and it spilled all across the floor, running flames this way and that, spreading their appetite for destruction to seemingly every corner of the party room.

Pinkie gasped and jumped away from the flames, but they chased after her, licking her hooves and consuming all things as they made their way towards the pony. Pinkie watched as the room turned black and crisped as the fire devoured everything in its wake. Before long, the only thing left was the poofy-maned pony surrounded by fire in a room of ash.

Pinkie screamed and swiped her hooves at the encroaching flames to no avail. She was going to burn to death. She closed her eyes tightly and waited for the fire to leap onto her body and transform her to ashes. Suddenly she felt cool water run down her body and heard the hiss of fire being beaten back by water. She felt strange as the water dripped down her body. The party room had been beautiful and now it was gone. It was like a candied apple that turned out to be an onion instead of an apple! All the joy was gone from it.

Pinkie Pie felt her mind reel and she was instantly across from herself, where the punch bowl had been. She could see her own body being soaked by an overhead sprinkler system. It must have finally kicked on to control the fire. She felt so odd looking across at herself. She couldn't make out much, just her pink coat, the running water obscured all her other features. How could she be seeing herself? She needed back inside her body! It might drown without her mind inside controlling it!

And then, it moved without her control.

Pinkie watched as her body shook some of the water from its face, hair long, flat, and a darker shade of pink fell to the side of its head. She noticed that her body's bright pink coat was darker, duller, and more dismal. She watched as it moved towards her. Maybe it was just coming back to her, reuniting with its mind.

She somehow doubted that.

Just as it got a few feet away, the overhead sprinklers died and the obscuring water vanished. Staring at her was a face twisted into a psychotic grin. It spoke of pain, pleasure derived from such pain, and lust for more. Its mouth jerked upward as it locked its demonic gaze onto Pinkie. It began to giggle, but not a happy joyful laugh, a sick and demented chortle that promised unbounded terror and agony. Its eyes flared with hatred and promised a terrible death.

"You thought you could kill me? Now you are going to pay …"

Pinkie Pie screamed at her body. It meant to kill her in a fashion she could not imagine. Whatever it planned would make her beg for death before it found enough pity to give her the release. It lunged towards her, teeth gnashing and expelling that terrible laugh, like metal scraping against metal and then …

Pinkie Pie awoke with a start. She gasped and found herself in her own bed. She didn't know why she felt scared, but the hilarity of the situation dawned on her and she started laughing to herself. A nightmare! She must have had a nightmare. She couldn't even remember what it was! She had woken up afraid of something she couldn't even remember, how silly!

The sound of her laughter attracted Fluttershy from the den. Pinkie laughed so loudly at herself that she didn't hear the meek mare enter the room. Fluttershy moved to the bed and smiled, then smiled wider, and finally started laughing, too. Pinkie's giggling was contagious and she couldn't help but laugh along with her friend.

Pinkie recognized the sound of Fluttershy and turned to face her friend. She fought the fit of felicity and flopped back onto her pillow. She turned and grinned to Flutters as the mare climbed back into the bed as well, calming from her own state of laughter.

Shy lay back on her side of the bed and smiled back to her dearest friend. "What was that about, Pinkie?" Flutters had woken up nearly an hour before and went to clean up the den from the night before. She had found Rarity awake and feasting upon a piece of leftover cake. The two had talked for a short while and made plans to keep in touch with one another. Shy had seen Rarity off and began cleaning. She had barely started when she heard Pinkie begin laughing.

"I must have had a bad dream, Shy. I woke up like …" She gasped loudly, overplaying it dramatically, and jerked straight up in bed with a shocked look on her face, her eyes wide and searching. "I was SO scared, but I didn't even know why! I couldn't remember. Isn't that funny how something can scare you so bad when you're asleep but then you have no memory of it?"

Shy chuckled gently at the pink mare and lay her head into her pillow, facing Pinkie. "Oh, I don't like bad dreams. I usually remember them, but it scares me anyway. I usually can't go back to sleep after them. Sometimes, though, I can't remember them and then I am even more scared."

Pinkie giggled and lay back down into the soft sheets and mattress and eyed her friend. "Last night was so much fun! I had forgotten how good it felt to throw a party. I can't believe that! I, Pinkie Pie, forgot how to have fun! Can you believe that? Well, I never want to forget again and I'm going to make sure everypony gets to feel this good!"

Shy timidly looked the cotton-candy maned pony over and smiled sheepishly, taking deep satisfaction in her friend's recovery. "I'm glad you are happy, Pinkie. How, um, are you going to make other ponies feel like this?"

Pinkie brought her hoof to her chin in thought and with a mighty "Hmmm…" she pondered the question brought to her by the yellow pegasus. She thought for a few moments. "Ponies in this town, most of them anyway, have already shown they don't want to party, at least not without drugs, alcohol, and loose mares. Even with those things, they are apt to shoot it out with other ponies who might show up."

"What about baking cupcakes and things?" Shy watched her friend and tried to help facilitate a positive answer.

"Already failed once, Shy. Ponies don't use what bits they have on normal items. They're reserved for, well, the other things I make." Pinkie's expression turned dour and she rolled on to her side, looking down at the mattress. She suddenly wasn't so keen on manufacturing drugs. Sure, the bits were right, but how many ponies had she hurt with them? She knew the Royal Guards had found several overdoses. That wasn't her fault, was it? She didn't force them to do her drugs. She just gave them an opportunity to get the high they wanted. The pink pony sighed and rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow.

Who was she kidding? She made the drugs that caused the overdoses. She had provided a dangerous, mind-altering substance to the ponies who were once her friends. She felt a little sick and pounded her forehead into the pillow.

Shy watched Pinkie, growing ever more worried. She had, all at once, become serious and then began to pound her face into her pillow. Shy wasn't sure what to say or do, so she just lay still momentarily. Finally, Pinkie seemed to have deemed an adequate amount of pillow bashing and rolled back over with a sigh. Shy didn't miss the glimmer of fluid in Pinkie's eyes and reached out to comfort the mare with her foreleg. "What's wrong, Pinkie?"

Pinkie remained staring up at the ceiling. "I don't want to make drugs anymore, Shy. They hurt ponies. I have hurt ponies by making them available. I just don't know how else to make money."

"I … I'm glad you said that, Pinkie. I'm so scared Applejack is going to kick in our door and hurt us. If she ever found out about us, I'm sure she would. She's cruel now, Pinkie. Oh my … and she has that unicorn working for her now. Maybe if you stop making those drugs, she won't come after us." Shy's voice cracked and her eyes grew in fear as she thought of the prospect of her old friend showing up with a few goons to "talk" to the mares.

"I'm not worried about Applejack so much. I just don't want to hurt others anymore." The pink mare heaved a sigh. "I still have to make more of them. I have orders to fill. I can't just stop, not yet. Rarity still has her dress shop … Did she say anything about how she keeps it running? Her dresses are far more expensive than cupcakes."

"Oh! She has an internet business, she said. We talked about it before she left this morning, actually."

"She left? I wanted to invite her over again soon. It was nice seeing her again. Internet business? That's super-de-duper smart of her. I wonder … No, they would melt if I had to send them through the mail. Plus cupcakes wouldn't do so well being tossed around in a box." Pinkie scratched her head and continued to look into the ceiling deeply, thinking about her situation.

"What about partying? You do that well. You usually throw them for free, but what if that was your business?" Shy tried to think of Pinkie's strong suits and throwing parties had always been her greatest ability. Shy knew that she generally took the burden of cost on herself for the general joy of those in attendance. If she were to charge for her services, she might do well. She smiled and looked to her friend for reception of the idea. Pinkie was giving her a very strange look as if she had never thought of charging for a party.

"Shy …" The fundamentals were there. How had she never thought of that herself? Parties had always been free to anyone, but if she charged for them, she could make a living for herself AND see the happy, satisfied faces of the ponies who got to enjoy the party. It was genius! Oh … but Ponyville would never go for it. A few might be interested, as there was still a small middle class in the better part of town, but not enough to sustain a business. Most ponies opted to celebrate their birthdays with illicit parties. Pinkie had brightened at the idea, but then frowned again. "It's genius, but there aren't enough ponies here that would want parties."

"Yes, but what if we moved away? To Canterlot, Manehattan, or Hoofington?" Shy was hopeful for leaving Ponyville sometime. She lacked the courage to go alone to a city she had never been to before and she couldn't face Cloudsdale again. All of her fuzzy friends were on the ground.

"It's a great idea, Shy, but we're a little too broke for that." She giggled slightly at a play on words that popped into her head. "Brokey dokey lokey. If we could earn enough money, it might be an option. I'd rather not abandon Sugar Cube Corner. The Cakes gave it to me; and I sure would like to see them again. I thought I could change this place, Flutters, but I guess there's just not enough business here anymore. This problem just can't be solved with parties."

"I guess sometimes not everything can." Shy thought for a few moments. If they could raise enough money to buy a new building in another town and all the equipment, then maybe they could move away. Pinkie had been receptive to the idea. Suddenly an idea came to the pegasus.

Shy had talked at length with Rarity about her business. She sometimes took the dresses to Canterlot and other nearby cities. The train still ran a couple times a day to other towns. It basically ran a big loop between Ponyville, Canterlot, Hoofington, and Trotdale. If they could restrict business to those areas, they could still provide services to them. "What if you and I catered parties in those cities? We could take the train to and from the towns, or stay the night if we had to. Other places are safe at night, unlike here. We could advertise online and have flyers printed up and distributed in Canterlot and the others. We'd just have to travel to them and set up."

Pinkie sat up with a shocked expression and grinned. "Oh my! That's so brilliant!" Her voice, normally high, hit new levels in her excitement and changed pitch in a vibrato fashion. "Fluttershy, you are so super-duper-double-looper smart! We can completely do that! We'd just have to buy some supplies for parties. Just a few things like streamers, confetti, balloons, strings, hats, buzzers, noisemakers, clown noses, make-up, sheets, ribbons, cups and plates, and games! It wouldn't take that much money to get what we would need." Pinkie Pie hopped from the bed and started singing a happy, bouncy song about parties.

Pinkie's song was catchy and Fluttershy found herself dancing with her friend. She laughed and they busted a move into the still-decorated den. Pinkie kept singing praises about Fluttershy's brilliant idea and Shy couldn't help but feel good about it. She worried the business might fail, but Pinkie made everything seem so easy and achievable. It had been so long since Flutters had heard Pinkie break into song that prospects of failure did not matter.

Pinkie finished her song with a pull on the party cannon. More confetti exploded about the pair and they laughed together. Shy's idea really was good. Pinkie Pie was certain they could do it. They would party and make a living from it. All she needed was capital.

Pinkie hugged Shy. "I need to make the order for Golden Harvest, Shy. Hopefully, soon I won't have to make these things anymore. It shouldn't take long if we use the money from these drugs wisely and then we can be finished with it. I can bake, plan, and party for my bits—things that hurt nopony." Pinkie smiled happily at her friend, her blue eyes full of genuine excitement and elation. Pinkie went into the kitchen and broke out the drug making apparatus. Her sudden disdain for this business was brought on by the reclamation of her old self. Life could be happy again.

Soon. Soon the drug business would be behind her and the damage she caused with those drugs out of her hooves, not to mention that the chance of discovery and the resulting punishment from Applejack would cease to be a problem. They just had to hold out a little longer …

Just long enough to get the business going.

JackSlap was angry to say the least. He had escorted the mares and the dragon to Ponyville the day before and here he was, waiting outside Rarity's shop again after taking that stuck up unicorn back to visit Rarity. Sheesh, like he didn't have better errands to run for Applejack. She had him as a babysitter instead of an enforcer. If she wouldn't buck him in the mouth, he'd tell her his complaints. He had learned long ago, however, not to backtalk the boss or challenge a task she had given him.

JackSlap grumbled to himself. The summer sun was beating down on him and he could hear the mares inside laughing about something. "Chuckle it up. Loads a' bucking fun. Sure am glad ta babysit miss goody four hooves an' her dragon."

Then again, he could go and find some fun. There were certainly a lot of ponies in this part of town that owed some bits to the boss. He wouldn't mind taking some frustration out on one or two of them. He wouldn't be gone long and that unicorn would wait on him. She was scared to death of Ponyville after those two punks had gotten after her.

JackSlap chuckled to himself and mentally plotted his course. He could be back shortly, but not too shortly. He cantered off to the beat of backhoofs across the faces of his victims ringing in his head.

Twilight and Spike left Rarity's a little earlier than the day before. The sun was going down, but had a couple hours before it would sink completely behind the horizon. She had waited for a few minutes for JackSlap, but decided he must have left for the farm without them. He had threatened to do so the ENTIRE trip to Ponyville, after all. He was so obnoxious that Twilight had used a spell to silence the area around her and Spike. JackSlap, of course, had never known it; he was probably talking, threatening, and complaining the whole way, not caring whether he got any response from his companions.

She and Spike had had a great time with Rarity. She seemed different today, happier, more talkative, and sort of bubbly in conversation. She said she had visited with friends the night before, old friends she had not seen in years, but hoped to see again soon. Twilight had jumped on the chance to talk about friendship and how its magical properties might help the town. Rarity had agreed with Twilight that friendship was indeed a magical thing and that, perhaps, there was something to Twilight's theory.

They had spent the largest part of their day talking about what friendship meant to each of them. Rarity seemed shocked that Twilight had never really had any friends. Twilight had talked about how Applejack was her first friend. She also talked about Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle. Unfortunately, their time was cut short as a prospective buyer had entered the shop. Rarity had told Twi that she was welcome to stay and wait, but Twi did not want to intrude and felt it to be bad manners if she stayed while Rarity conducted business. They had both been surprised that a customer had come into the boutique. Most business, Rarity had specified, came in through the web.

Twilight had excused herself, ready to head back to Sweet Apple Acres. She and Spike walked the street. Twi wondered about their safety without JackSlap, but she saw several other ponies who did not look rugged or dangerous and soon lost the nervous feeling. She smiled at Spike, who had been a little foreboding since they had returned yesterday. He appeared to be preoccupied with some troubling thought, little wrinkles appearing on his scaled face. Twi, after giving him an entire day to resolve the issue himself, asked. "Are you okay, Spike? You seem like you have something on your mind."

Spike had been lost in thought. Something just didn't set right with the dragon. Rarity had posed her words in a strange way the day before and, to some degree, today. It was as if she were accusing Twilight of getting Sweetie in trouble, or that something weird was going on. Twilight hadn't noticed it. Spike hated to think poorly of his pony friend, but sometimes she could overlook obvious details, especially when she was out of her element. Twi was definitely out of her element when it came to socializing with others. She had not picked up on any of Rarity's phrases or cold semi-accusations. Was she trying to insinuate something about Twilight? Probably not, but then why was she acting so strangely? What could she be hinting at? "Oh … just the way Rarity talked. Do you get the feeling she was trying to hint at something? Like, maybe something isn't exactly right."

Twilight gave the dragon a perplexed look and shook her head. "No, why? Did she say something to you?"

"Well, no, but the way she said things kind of seemed like she was trying to say something without just saying it." Spike looked up at his friend and scratched his head. "Didn't you notice anything a little weird?"

"Oh Spike, I think she is just happy to see us. She has Sweetie's best interests at heart and probably just wanted to make sure we were a good influence on her. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary with her. She's nice and I want to see her more." Twilight was happy to be out in Ponyville and actually working towards her goal. She was glad Spike was with her. He was a good assistant and did, often, advise her when she was over-thinking a problem, but sometimes he could let that aspect of his personality take over. Rarity wasn't hinting at anything devious. Twilight was confident in that.

"I hope you're right, Twilight. I don't exactly like it here in Ponyville."

"Oh Spike, I really don't—"

Suddenly, something moved and caught Twilight's eye. Something small darted across the road in front of them and fell over, apparently injured. It was a small bunny and it was kicking its leg up as if it was in pain. The sight took Twi's mind from her assistant and she watched the creature. It needed help. Something was wrong with the poor thing. "Spike, we have to help that creature. It's hurt."

Spotsy the rabbit was Fluttershy's long ears in Sweet Apple Acres. He was the one who had informed the pegasus about Twilight in the first place. He didn't know he was a spy, but knew his friend wanted to know about Sweet Apple Acres and what the ponies who lived there were doing. He didn't understand exactly why she wanted to know, but he was more than happy to spend his time hopping around the farm, digging up carrots when he could find them in the semi-barren farmland, arguing with the squirrels about whether the forest floor or the canopy was a better place to reside, and watching the interesting lives of the ponies who lived there.

Spotsy didn't really have a whole lot to talk about this week, but the unicorn had gone into Ponyville twice. His friend might find that interesting. He hopped along, finding tall weeds on the sides of the street to hide inside of on his route. He hoped that pink pony wasn't there when he arrived. He was nervous around her. She was prone to being loud and those things she made, the little pink squares, smelled strange … of poison and death. He wished his yellow friend would find a new home. He twitched his little nose at the thought and then an idea came to him.

He would fake an injury! Spotsy loved calling attention to himself from the mare. He liked her attention and cooked up ways of getting it. He liked to make a big entrance. She was easy to scare, but the fun of sneaking up on her and jumping out was over. She jumped at anything and he wanted a new tactic to gain her attention. If he pretended he was hurt, she would hug him and stroke him until he felt better. It was a great idea. He just had to practice.

He had to cross the street and he didn't see anypony in front of him, so he dashed out, fell over and kicked his leg up as if a thorn had been buried in his foot. He squeaked out once and grasped the "sore" leg.

It just wasn't enough. It needed to look more severe. What else could he do? OH!

The brown bunny began dragging himself with his front legs, pulling himself inch by inch as if his back legs were paralyzed. That would certainly get her attention. She would be all over him when he got there. It was perfect. Spotsy was just priding himself on his acting skills when he heard something, something too close for comfort.

The bunny looked up and right next to him was a unicorn, no not just any unicorn, THE unicorn. The purple one that his pegasus friend had become nervous about. Where did she come from? He had to move quickly, she was charging her horn and would have him if he lingered.

The brown bunny took off like lightning, his sudden speed must have confused her, because her magic had not taken hold of him as he had expected. He had to run, get to his friend where he would be safe and could warn her that the unicorn had followed him. How did she know? She must be more magical than he thought.

Twilight looked at Spike when the rabbit sprung to life from literally dragging himself across the street. "Come on Spike! His adrenaline has given him enough natural painkillers to fight through the pain. He must be scared, but with an injury like that, we have to help him!" Before Spike could protest, the lavender unicorn chased after the quick brown bunny. He was darting behind trash cans and other objects, making it exceedingly difficult for her magic to grasp him. She had to catch him before he really hurt himself. If his injuries were that severe, there was a high chance that he was going to make them worse.

Spotsy dodged and darted as best he could and looked back to see the mare and her dragon companion keeping pace with him. If he could just get to Sugar Cube Corner, he would be okay. He could wriggle into the underground entrance and be safe from the magical pony. If he could only make it.

The bunny continued his frantic run and soon could see the building he sought. The unicorn was behind him, a little further back, but still coming. He ran with all his might, sprinting towards the underground entrance. He could see the gutter-drain that marked the entrance. It was just next to the spout and … disaster! A brick had fallen on it, holding the little trap door closed.

He skidded to a halt and tried to lift the brick, but it was just too heavy. He would have to dash to the front door and try to get attention there. He looked up and saw the unicorn bearing down on him. He scampered around the building and to the wooden door. He quickly turned and thumped the door rapidly with his hind leg as hard as he could.

The sound wasn't very loud, but he hoped it was enough. The bunny looked up and saw the lavender mare, horn glowing and breathing hard. He felt her magical power lift him from the doorway. It didn't hurt or oppress him in any way, but he was still frightened. He had been so close to escape. If that brick hadn't been there, he would have been fine.

"He looks fine to me, Twilight. I think we should just let him go." The dragon evaluated and waited for judgment from the mare.

"I don't know. If you look closely at …"

To Spotsy's overwhelming joy, the door to Sugar Cube Corner opened and the pink mare stood in the doorway. The pink one might not be his favorite, but she was tougher than the yellow pegasus. She would show these ruffians.

Pinkie Pie hadn't heard the knock on the door, but Flutters had. Pinkie had been sitting in the kitchen floor with her sciency tools creating the vision-granting drugs, when Fluttershy came in with a frightened expression. Everything scared Shy. The sooner the business started, the better. They would be able to move out of Ponyville and maybe Shy would be able to rest and not jump at every little noise. Pinkie doubted it, but there was always a possibility.

"Somepony just knocked on the door really fast, Pinkie. It sounded like they meant business … Eep!" Pinkie heard a voice, muffled, coming from the door. Flutters must have heard it too, because she retreated into the bedroom.

Pinkie chuckled for a second and then toughened her resolve. If it was Applejack's goons, she would have to protect Shy. She might not be able to stop them from taking her, but she would swear she acted alone and protect her pegasus friend.

She stood and debated covering the apparatus, but couldn't due to its temperature. It would melt or set fire to anything that covered it. She would just have to leave it there for a few minutes. The pink pony stood and walked to the door. She breathed in deeply and jerked the door open to reveal …

Two strangers. A unicorn and a dragon were standing on the other side of the door holding a brown rabbit. He was struggling against the magic levitating him. He must have been one of Fluttershy's friends. What was going on? "Hi, umm, why do you have a bunny floating around?" She couldn't help but crack a joke despite the situation. She was, after all, her old self again. "OH! What instrument does a bunny play?"

Twilight looked down at Spike with a questioning look and back to the mysteriously smiling pink earth pony before her. "Ummm, I don't know. What?"

"A HOPsichord!" Pinkie giggled wildly at her joke and didn't really notice that the strangers didn't laugh. She caught herself and tried to become serious, but the lavender mare cut her off.

"Yes … that's great and all, but this rabbit needs help. He's injured. We found him crawling down the street, but when we tried to get him he ran to this … um … shop." Twilight could see it was a bakery in disrepair. She assumed it did not function any longer, but she wasn't sure. She just wanted to leave and get the bunny back to Sweet Apple Acres where somepony might be able to help it. "Well, we're going to go now. Injured bunny and all …"

"OH! A HOP-sichord, I get it!" Spike started laughing as the joke dawned on him. He couldn't help but laugh; it was a funny pun. He noted the disapproval in Twilight's grimace toward him.

This pair wasn't what Pinkie expected and didn't make the connection to Applejack's unicorn and this unicorn. She didn't look the type to be criminal and her friend had laughed at her joke. Leg-breakers didn't laugh unless their prey was screaming. "Oh no no no, that bunny is friends with my roommate. If he's hurt, she'll know what to do! She's really good with animals of all types and takes care of them when they're sick. This one time, she nursed a sick squirrel back to health after it fell out of a tree with a mouth full of acorns! I have heard of flying squirrels but not falling squirrels! And another time she found this—"

"Spotsy, oh my goodness. What happened to you? Are you hurt; is it bad?" Fluttershy had poked her head out from the bedroom and heard pinkie mention one of her animal friends. She had come out and seen Spotsy floating in front of Pinkie. Her natural instincts took over and she ran up to aid her injured friend. She took him in her hooves and walked him to the den, laying him on the couch. The other ponies and the dragon followed likewise, watching the yellow pegasus work.

Fluttershy lay the bunny on the couch and gently touched his legs. She looked worried and began asking him question about pain. She hoped he was okay; bunnies were fragile things and they would take some time to recuperate if he was injured.

Spotsy looked from the yellow pegasus to the strangely happy pink pony and to the purple pair. Did they not understand who these two new ones were? On other other paw, an opportunity like this was hard to pass up and he feigned pain, bringing his foreleg up above his brow as if the injury was too much. He reached out his little forelegs and beckoned the yellow mare to come to him.

Flutters recognized Spotsy's deception as soon as he started dramatically waving his forelegs to her. He was always big on show. He liked the attention and came up with new ways to get it. "Spotsy, you're faking. How can you scare us like that? I thought you were really hurt and these two nice strangers thought you were, too." She was agitated by him. Scaring her was one thing, but faking an injury was too much. She saw his look pacify and turn sad. "Oh, it's okay. You're just a good little bunny. You just like to get attention, don't you?" Fluttershy kissed the bunny on the head and he sprang up happily. All the ponies, and Spike, sighed with relief that the bunny was not injured.

Twilight wasn't sure what to think about the bunny or these two ponies, so she looked at Spike who only shrugged. "Well, I guess we should get going since everything is okay."

Pinkie, sensing an opportunity for another party, had to interject. "Wait, you can't leave! You just got here. We can have so much fun. We have some cake and cupcakes and punch and chips and chocolate chips and games and…"

Spotsy recalled suddenly who it was that was in the room with his friend and kicked himself for getting caught up in his ruse. He beckoned Fluttershy while the pink pony had the attention of the other two. She moved close to him and he proceeded to tell her in his bunny way who was standing right in front of her.

Fluttershy was whispering to the bunny while Pinkie talked loudly and quickly to the unicorn and DRAGON! Oh, a real baby dragon! She had to wait a second before letting her excitement take her. Spotsy was trying to tell her something and whatever it was seemed important to him. "A unicorn … yes … THE unicorn?"

Fluttershy gasped and let out a weak exclamatory "meep" in response. She was looking at the unicorn Applejack had recently employed. All her worst nightmares had come true. Applejack knew about them and this unicorn was here to hurt them or take them back to her employer for Celestia knew what reason. Fluttershy cringed and Spotsy jumped off the couch, running for safety.

Fluttershy was glad her bunny friend had escaped, but her own escape was troubling her more. She made another shrill sound and looked to the bedroom. She could run and hide, but that left Pinkie alone. She wouldn't just leave Pinkie out here to deal with two of Applejack's henchponies, well henchpony and henchdragon. "P-P-Pi-Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie had been going on about all the wonderful things that they would be able to do if the unicorn and dragon stayed. It was a feat to stop the pink pony from rambling, but the shrill sound of a seemingly frightened Fluttershy made did it. She looked over at Fluttershy and back to the new faces. Her friend could be SO shy sometimes! But, it fit with her name, after all. Pinkie smiled good-naturedly at the strangers in reassurance. "Umm, I'll be right back!"

Fluttershy nearly galloped into the bedroom and Pinkie followed her. Pinkie shut the door behind them. "What's wrong Shy?" She could see more fear in Shy than she had ever seen since the night those two hooligans had planned on burning her to death. Suddenly, Pinkie's smile faded and cold spot formed in her stomach.

"That … that's … that's Applejack's … unicorn. Spotsy told me. She's going to hurt us, Pinkie. We have to go, now." The poor pegasus could barely speak for all the fear. Her heart clenched tightly in her chest and she backed up to the bed, sure the unicorn was going to blow the door from its hinges and come in to collect her victims.

Pinkie looked at Fluttershy with wide, unblinking eyes for a moment, but then just giggled. "Her? Does she look like an enforcer to you? Your bunny must have been wrong. She's not a dangerous pony. Maybe a little tightly wound, but not dangerous." She smiled at her friend and tried to calm her down. "Hey, Flutters, come on. It's okay. We'll be alright. Even if she is working for Applejack she's not a leg-breaker. She's not here on business and …" She remembered all of her drug making apparatus and the drugs themselves were still sitting in the kitchen floor. A shard of ice buried itself deeply into her mind and her giggling suddenly stopped. "I left all that stuff in the kitchen. She might see it. Shy, you have to get their attention so I can clean up the kitchen before they see it. They aren't dangerous, but if they see that stuff they might tell Applejack. Then we would have to worry."

Fluttershy shook her head and pulled the blanket from the bed and over her body, becoming a quivering mass underneath it. "I can't. I can't, Pinkie."

Pinkie Pie grabbed the blanket and yanked it off the pegasus. Shy squealed and Pinkie hugged her tightly. "I know you are scared. I think we're okay, but we might not be if she sees that equipment. I … I could kill her. My hoofgun is just in the kitchen, but I don't want to, Shy. I don't want to be that way again. I had to be like that to survive. Please … please just get their attention. I don't want to … I don't want to be like I was. If I have to kill them, I will, but I don't think I could do it and be happy still." Pinkie could feel the darkness crowding in her mind. She knew, somehow, that if she were forced to kill these two, the darkness would take her over again. She would lose all the happiness she had so recently regained. This time it might be permanent. "Make your decision, Shy. We're wasting time."

Fluttershy was terrified. She didn't want to face Applejack's goons. What if they used magic on her? If they hurt her or took her prisoner? Pinkie wanted her to get their attention. She couldn't face them. Pinkie would have to shoot them. Shy flattened herself as low to the ground as she could and covered her eyes. Pinkie would have to deal with these two alone. She was the brave one. Shy was the coward and she knew it. She would hide while Pinkie took the hard actions.

Pinkie sighed and turned away, stopping at the door. "It's all right, Shy. I understand. Just stay here." Her voice was already colder. The light was dying inside of Pinkie Pie. Her rebirth was short lived. She would deal with these two to protect her and Fluttershy. She would have to call upon that darker part of herself and deal with the consequences after the deed was done. She opened the door and walked out to the unicorn and dragon still standing in the den.

Shy began to cry. She was such a coward. Pinkie did too much to protect her. She had tried to explain to herself that she had helped Pinkie by bringing her happy self out again, banishing the lonely, frightened, and depressed side of herself by showing her that one thing that Pinkie Pie had always loved. She was going to lay there as Pinkie killed those two and, by proxy, kill herself. Maybe not physically, but mentally. She could hear Pinkie in the other room. Her voice was hollow now, a trait of the other Pinkie, of Pinkamena.

"She's just shy. Her name is Fluttershy, after all. Just wait right here and I'll get something special for you two. I'll be right back. I hope you like surprises!"

Flutters cried and hated herself. She was weak and useless. She would never beat her fears. She would always have to rely on others when confrontation reared its head. She was the worst friend in the world. She had helped Pinkie? It didn't matter anymore. She had just killed her all over again … by just lying here, cowering.

From somewhere deep inside, a calming strength filled Shy's mind. She might be scared, but she couldn't just stand by as Pinkie did everything for the two of them. She wouldn't let her friend die all over again. If she did, all the work Flutters had done to coax Pinkie Pie from Pinkamena would have been for nothing. She would get up. She WOULD face her fears. She had to, for Pinkie.

Her legs, wobbly as they were, hefted her shivering body and propelled her towards the door. Shy's courage was tiny, but her will forced her onward. She quietly walked towards the unicorn and dragon, who were talking amongst themselves and waiting for Pinkie's return. They had no idea what Pinkie was going to bring with her when she returned. Shy could still stop it.

Fluttershy closed her eyes and galloped two large steps towards the pair and crushed all the air from her lungs in order to make a sound break through the fear that clenched her throat. "Hi!"

Twilight and Spike were confused by the whole situation. Twilight was saying how she thought these ponies were strange and Spike was arguing to give them a chance. They were each quiet, so only the other participant could hear their whispered words, but suddenly the "shy" yellow pegasus had returned and somewhat loudly greeted them. They looked at each other for a second; the pegasus was visibly shaking, but trying hard to be engaging to the pair.

Spike made a disapproving noise to Twilight and stepped toward the shaky pegasus. "Hi, my name is Spike and I'm new here in Ponyville. We come from Canterlot and are here to study the magic of friendship. We hope that studying the relationships between friends we can find some meaningful magical connection and use it to help all of Ponyville. What's your name?" Spike had been long winded, but was trying to sound non-threatening and good natured. He wanted to show Twilight that having weird mannerisms might be normal in a decrepit town such as Ponyville. The ponies who lived here probably had all kinds of past trauma that had scarred them emotionally. It would require work to help these ponies. He cast an eye at Twilight, expecting her to follow suit.

There was an awkward moment of silence from the pegasus and Twi decided to follow Spike's example. Twilight stepped forward, as well. Sometimes she hated how strong-willed her dragon friend could be. She had just wanted to bail on this situation. These ponies were crazy! What kind of friendships could she have with one pony who could barely stop talking and another who didn't talk? She put on her best friend face and introduced herself. "I'm Twilight Sparkle. I hope we're not scaring you. We didn't mean to scare you. We just found that bunny and he seemed injured. He ran from us to this … lovely … shop. We just wanted to help him. I hope you're not afraid of us. We want to be friends."

Fluttershy maintained eye contact with the pair. Their words were genuine; she sensed it. She had always been good at judging character. To her surprise, a portion of her fears fell away, leaving her in control of her voice. "My name's … Fluttershy." Her voice trembled and cracked, making her name hard to understand, but she had been able to say it.

From the other side of the one remaining saloon-style swinging door that led into the kitchen, Pinkie peeked out. She had her hoofgun and was coming back to kill the unicorn and dragon when she heard Shy's trembling voice. Pinkie's body suddenly shook and she moved away from the door, falling to the floor. She wouldn't have to do it. Shy had come through for her. She trembled and tears rolled down her cheeks. She had been so ready to do it. She didn't want to, but she was going to. The darkness in her mind receded and she took a moment to regain herself. She thought of the happy cupcakes and the good time they had had the night before. She thought of the business they would soon start and the life they would start over. "Thank you, Shy. Thank you … Oh, thank you." She had things to do. The equipment was scattered all over the floor, but the pieces were cool enough to handle now. She would have to hide them quickly and get a suitable snack ready. There were plenty of leftover snacks in the refrigerator. She preferred hot, fresh goods when entertaining guests, but, this time, she would have to make due.

Fluttershy was able to keep the pair entertained long enough for Pinkie to return with a tray of snacks, giving Shy a friendly wink and mouthing the words "thank you" to her friend as she lay the snacks on the table.

Over the course of a few hours, the ponies began to trust one another. Pinkie had found herself completely trusting the unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, and her dragon assistant, Spike. Even Fluttershy found their company to be enjoyable. The pegasus was especially interested in Spike. She asked many questions and, once more at ease, hung on every word the dragon spoke.

Twilight, at first unwelcoming of the strange ponies, found charm in both of their respective personalities. Pinkie Pie, a high-energy party enthusiast and the embodiment of spontaneity, was fun, funny, and upbeat. Her energy was addictive and her inherent giggly attitude a true benefit. Fluttershy, while shy and nervous, was gentle, soft, and sweet. She was probably the most good-natured pony Twilight had ever met.

Time slipped away from the group and Twilight explained her trip to Ponyville and how her balloon had been shot down. She had been taken in by Applejack and was searching for the magic of friendship, her assignment, as a student in Canterlot. Pinkie tactically asked about her involvement with Applejack. Pinkie was far better at hiding her emotions than Rarity and was able to ascertain that Twilight knew nothing about Applejack's real business without even hinting at it. She gave Shy a wink and a smile.

They were safe, at least for now. By the time their friendly conversation had ended, it was too late for Twilight and Spike to venture home that night. That meant one thing. TIME TO PARTY!

Pinkie blasted music and the three ponies and dragon enjoyed their time together. Even if all the food was only re-heated, it still tasted good. The music was addictive and the budding friendship between them was almost palpable. Twilight and Spike fell asleep, grinning and full of tasty baked goods, on the couch. Pinkie made sure the closet where she hid the drug equipment was locked and followed Fluttershy to bed. Despite the rough start, they had become friends with the pair from Canterlot and fell asleep without worry.

JackSlap had returned from his escapade of violence empty-hooved. Most had not been at home, though he took the time to trash their living quarters, and the one that had been had bailed out of the back door before JackSlap could catch him. He had been waiting for far too long and was pissed off. It was almost dark. He had had enough of this.

JackSlap pounded furiously on the door to Rarity's boutique and immediately harangued the unicorn mare when she opened the door. "Tell those idiots that it's gettin' dark. I'm tired of waiting for them and they're lucky I'm here at all. I should make them walk home by themselves! Now go get'em and make it snappy, mare."

Rarity, looking down her nose at the rude and brash pony, only smirked, using her best condescending tone. "Oh, my dear JackSlap, they left for Sweet Apple Acres hours ago. I do hope that won't cause a problem for you. You are their bodyguard, right? Doesn't that mean you should know where they are at all times? I'm sure Applejack will understand, however. She is such a … patient and forgiving pony. Good night." She shut the door, amused by JackSlap's failure; he was sure to be reprimanded. She suddenly frowned with worry; she hoped that Twilight and Spike had made it home safely. However, it had been a few hours before night when they left, which cut down significantly on the chance of something ill happening to them.

Staring blindly at the door that had been unceremoniously slammed in his face, JackSlap's blood ran cold. If they were already back at Sweet Apple Acres and the boss knew they had come back alone, he was sure to get chewed out or hit. If they weren't back home when he arrived, he would have to tell the boss personally … and that was a far worse possibility. The green earth pony ran at full gallop towards Sweet Apple Acres and hoped that the unicorn and dragon were already there.

Applejack sat behind her desk and listened closely to her informant. She had paid the mare, Gumhoof, well to gather information on the source of the Pink Dreamz drug that was currently cutting her business margins. She had hoped that Gumhoof had found some new piece of information that Applejack could allow the cow-mare to sweep in and destroy this problem, but she hadn't. AJ listened closely to the mare, but couldn't help but grow irritated.

Gumhoof had brought news that the source was being guarded closely and, as far as she could find out, only Golden Harvest knew who it was. This meant that the Trotters were selling the drug and Harvest had set it up. Applejack could move against the Trotters, but the size of their gang would pose some problems for the Apple Family. Harvest controlled the largest section of that side of town and Applejack did not trust other gangs of the area enough to form any type of alliance with them. The Apples only trusted themselves. Applejack thought of her options.

She could move against the Trotters in force, bring the fight to them and hope that a few quick and high casualty displays of force would bully the Trotters into submission. The problem lay within the response. If the Trotters decided to fight back, there would be a lot of casualties before Applejack could defeat their numbers. AJ cared for her kinfolk and her workers enough to want to keep them alive. She couldn't afford to start over with a new labor force of unknowns.

Alternatively, Applejack could send a specialized force to capture Golden Harvest to bring her back for questioning and execution. If this tactic was employed correctly, they could avert street war by leaving the gang headless. The ensuing power struggle would tear the gang apart and make life easy for the Apples. It was a sound plan, unless it failed. If it were to fail, the wrath of the Trotters might rise up against Sweet Apple Acres. Once again, the losses would be high for both gangs. Too many of her kin would be corpses and her power would diminish. Street wars could be costly and the cost of winning was nearly as high as the cost of losing.

As frustrating as it was, Applejack's best bet was to continue to employ Gumshoe and hope she would discern the source, sooner rather than later. Moving against it would be far easier than moving against the gang itself. Once the source was gone, the Trotters' money would deteriorate and without financial support, any prolonged war with the Apples would falter. They would know this and fall back to being just another gang in Ponyville. Their sudden wealth was giving them power, but without it their growth would cease.

Applejack growled and slammed her hoof on her desk, silencing the talking Gumhoof. AJ had heard enough. She stood and pointed an accusing hoof at the white and red mare. "Y'all're getting paid very well ta find out this information, Gum. Find the source! Yer wastin' mah time and mah patience with ya. If ya want ta continue makin' money from me, yer gonna have ta bring me some useful information. Find out who the source is or yer services won't be needed any longer! An' y'all know what that means. Now Git!"

The frightened Gumhoof nodded apologetically and stammered out a few apologies, taking flight from the angry country mare. AJ grumbled to herself and sat down in her chair, leaning back and sighing.

The stress was really getting to her. So much money had been lost since the arrival of Pink Dreamz. She needed to relax somehow. Twilight wasn't back yet. AJ found the unicorn's companionship to be relaxing and wished she were back already. The orange earth pony looked to the window. It was almost dark, Twilight would be back soon and they could discuss … well, anything, really. She'd be happy to discuss anything but this dreadful business and falling profits margins. AJ wished, momentarily, that her only worry was whether or not she could buck all the apples from the trees by herself. Life was simpler then, far simpler. And there were far fewer deaths related to her former occupation.

AJ reached into her desk and pulled out a bottle of hard cider. This would calm her nerves until Twilight could come back. She carefully unplugged the cork with her teeth and took a heavy drink, breathing the fire out of her throat with a harsh sigh. Soon the alcohol would run through her veins and dull the world. She closed her eyes and waited patiently.

"Applejack?" A scratchy voice called her name and she groaned, opening her eyes to find Rainbow Dash standing in the doorway. What did she want? Finally coming back to ask for Sweets? Of course she was. She could pretend to be off them as long as she wanted but, at heart, she was still an addict. A familiar pain set into Applejack's heart, but she had learned long ago how to bury it.

"What the buck're the likes a' you doin' here? Crawlin' back for more Sweets? I knew y'all couldn't stay off'em." Her voice was cruel and mean, taking a small pleasure in the weakness of the multicolored mare.

Rainbow bristled somewhat at the accusation, but let it roll off her back like rainwater. Her voice told another story, one with slightly rebellious tones. "No, I'm done with that stuff. I just … I just wanted to see how you were doing. I know things haven't been going well lately."

"Y'know that do ya? Shut tha door, Rainbow. I don't want no others ta hear this." Applejack was turning to the weirdest places for help. Dash? Buck, what a useless pony. At one time, she had been the greatest friend AJ had ever had, but had become a failure. AJ watched as Rainbow shut the door and walked towards the desk. The orange mare had to admit, however, that she was looking better, much better, since the last time AJ had really taken note of her.

Applejack watched the mare take the seat on the other side of the desk. Rainbow had gained enough weight that she didn't seem skeletal anymore and her coat had begun to shimmer again. The cyan coat was fuller and brighter, same for her mane and tail. She must be actually trying to keep it clean. The rainbow pattern was straight again and radiant. She really had been off of the drugs for a while, AJ realized. She was pretty again ... Applejack suddenly realized where her thoughts were going and took another swig of her drink, draining what was left of the bottle and tossing it into the trash beside the desk. "So, what do ya suppose Ah do? Ah'm not willin' ta get mah family kilt out in the streets. Ah've done it before an' it takes a lot of blood ta stop a problem. Golden's gang is gettin' mighty strong, Dash. Too strong fer their own good."

Rainbow, surprised by the sudden receptive treatment, sat and listened to her friend and thought the problem out. She sighed and realized, after a moment, that Applejack was genuinely waiting for her advice. At one time in the past, Rainbow had been good for advice, before she failed with the WonderBolts and before she came home and became addicted. She used to be good for more than using Sweets. "I think … going to war would be a problem. I remember the last one. I'm not sure how most of us survived. If we hadn't caught their second-in-command and assaulted their home base, we probably wouldn't have."

Applejack nodded and dug another bottle of hard cider from her desk, tearing it open and pouring more burning liquid into her stomach. The fuzzy feeling was starting to take root in her and things seemed a little better. She snorted and watched Rainbow. Clever mare. Rainbow had always been clever. Rainbow had always been smarter than Applejack. And pretty, so pretty ... "So, what should Ah do, Dash?"

"You've got spies, I assume, so wait until one of them can dig up where their drugs are coming from. If you could wipe out the source, or persuade it to join you, then you could control everything again. Harvest's gang is less likely to fight without a stream of income." Rainbow felt proud of herself. She hadn't formulated such thoughts in a long while. She hoped Applejack would see her value and, maybe, take her advice. If she did, then it would be a way to begin trying to turn Applejack around. If she would listen to her again, maybe she could persuade the country mare to give up the drug market.

Applejack pushed the bottle across the desk to Rainbow and chuckled. "Exactly what Ah'd already planned, Dash. Maybe there's been some sense kicked inta this old mare." Applejack watched Rainbow take a drink from the bottle and smirked. "Y'all drink like a filly. Turn that bottle up'n drink like a real pony." Applejack grinned in challenge at the cyan pegasus. It had been years since she had challenged her. Maybe Dash was waking up after all. A small part deep inside AJ hoped so. She used to compete with Dash in everything. She had loved it. Maybe more than she meant to …

Dash smirked. "Oh yeah? You think you're so tough?" She turned the bottle up and swallowed four hard drinks, more than most ponies could endure, before gagging and spewing the hot liquid across the floor. She brought the bottle down, fought to control her stomach muscles and grinned. "How's that for a filly, AJ?" She passed the bottle back across the desk to rest at Applejack's hoof.

Applejack laughed and matched the mare's drink. Her throat felt like acid had been dumped down her gullet, but she wouldn't give in to Dash. She slammed the bottle down, grimaced, and turned it into a toothy grin. "For a filly? Not too bad." She began to laugh as the room moved around her.

Rainbow was feeling the effects of the strong liquor as well and laughed alongside her friend. "Hey, do you remember that time you and I went to Canterlot and were invited to that hoity-toity shindig? We really livened things up, huh?"

The mares spent nearly an hour reminiscing and talking as friends. It had been so long and both of them, lost to the alcoholic haze, felt as if nothing could go wrong for that time. They talked about their younger years and the competitions they had each won or lost over the other and various adventures about Equestria. They laughed, joked, and felt as one as the drink took over their judgment.

Alcohol is a funny thing. It can lower inhibitions and boost ego. It also can destroy barriers built for protection, as Applejack was finding out. AJ couldn't help but look Rainbow Dash over. She wasn't as she used to be, but she was looking so much better than recent years. Applejack's defenses were lowered. They had been built, stone by stone, to protect the mare from Dash's inevitable death from overdose. Most ponies thought Applejack kept the cyan pegasus around as a trophy, as proof that anypony could be beaten, because surely, if the confident rainbow mare could be beaten then anypony could fall before Applejack. But, that wasn't the true reason …

Applejack lamented the fall of Rainbow Dash. She had tried reeling the multicolored mare back from the pit with harsh words, challenging her to stand up for herself. Rainbow, if anything, stood against even the smallest slight against her. Alas, she had only whimpered and sunk deeper into her despair. At some point, AJ had become violent towards her, physically trying to get a reaction from her. However, it failed as well and the pain it caused the cow-mare was greater than almost any other loss in her whole life. Rainbow was dead, maybe not physically, but the mare she cared for was trapped hopelessly under failure and addiction.

When Twilight had asked Applejack about Rainbow's sickness, AJ had told the truth in one part—it was Rainbow's battle. She had the means to defeat what troubled her; AJ just hoped that someday she would. All the nasty things she had done to Rainbow, all the abuse, and poor treatment were to help her along. She had to treat her ill because … because she couldn't treat Rainbow Dash the way she really wanted to treat her.

Applejack wanted to hug Rainbow, kiss her, tell her how much she meant to her and plead with what was left of her to fight and come back. She wanted to, desperately. For her whole adult life, Applejack's secret desire had been to be with Rainbow Dash. It was her deepest secret and she was ashamed and afraid of it.

She had been raised by a conservative family. Her father had made clear, all too often, his views on same-sex relations. Any Apple who encouraged or partook in such deviancy was to be disowned and cast out. AppleJack had witnessed this with one of her cousins, being kicked off the farm and sent away to make her own way without her family's support.

For young Applejack, the event had been traumatic. She couldn't think of being alone. Family was everything for the Apple clan and to have to face the world alone seemed a certain death sentence. Once, she had attempted to separate herself from her immediate family. A young, strong mare like her needed a change of pace. She had stayed with her cousins in Manehatten and the whole ordeal had been a catastrophe. She was a country mare at heart and moved back home within the week.

It was wrong to have feelings for a pony of the same gender; that's what her father had taught her and she had recited it without thought, until she met Rainbow Dash. Applejack had never really had any feelings for anypony until the multihued mare appeared.

At first, she didn't know what that tingling sensation was. She didn't understand why she wanted to be near the pegasus all the time. Luckily, they had become fast friends and they were together often. It wasn't until she started having dreams about Rainbow Dash that she realized what was happening.

In the dreams, they would be having fun, running, jumping, and working together and then the sun would start going down. They would watch the sun set and move close together. Their eyes would meet suddenly and Applejack would …

She was a deviant, just like her father had warned against. She had become the one thing that was rejected by the Apples. She would wake up sweating and wish the thoughts away, but they simply would not obey. At night, the desires she secretly hid would blossom in her dreams. She couldn't tell anypony, not her family, father, or Dash. What if Dash thought that lesbimares were deviant and evil, as well? What if she confessed and became completely alone? Could her family really abandon her to the harsh world without aid or hope?

She had witnessed the answer before and knew it to be yes. Applejack buried those feelings, tormented at night by her body's wants and needs until … the race.

The friends had entered a race, each strong and capable, and bragged about who would finish in first place. Nearly one hundred ponies had shown up for the event. The whistle sounded and everypony did their best, trying to be the first to complete a five-mile course around Ponyville. It was during this competition that AJ found her peace.

She had pulled to the lead by a large margin, that is, until a streaking color pattern flashed by her. Dash, she was so strong and quick. Applejack wouldn't let herself be beaten. She pushed herself, catching the cyan mare and making a comment to provoke her.

The two had nearly exhausted themselves as each would narrowly edge the other out only to be retaken a few moments later. It was bliss. The hard breathing, the sweat, the connection, and spirit between the two, it was everything Applejack's dreams had been made of, except this wasn't deviant. She couldn't remember who had emerged victorious, but they had collapsed together, their energy expended from the event.

They looked at each other, panting, and each congratulated the other for such a good race. Applejack's heart was full and she wanted to feel like that the rest of her life. Maybe she couldn't act on her feelings, but she could find new ways to challenge the rainbow mare. As long as they could share the moments of passion during each competition, Applejack could feel as if she was truly with Rainbow Dash. She would do whatever she could to keep that feeling.

Applejack came from her reverie, fighting the spinning room for a moment, and looked directly into Rainbow's eyes. They were enchanting; the color was that of the most exquisite sunset. It reminded her of a better time, when life was less complicated and she could spend her free time with friends and family selling apples. She sighed and shook her head; she had to say something. She was so proud of Rainbow for fighting back against her addiction. She hoped, before long, her friend would be complete, whole, and she could test herself against the pegasus. "Rainbow … Ah … Ah have always felt …"

Never good with words Applejack, almost leaped across the desk, wrapping her hooves around Dash's neck and pulling her forward, their lips meeting in the middle. Applejack's body tingled and shivered at the taste, the taste she had longed for for so long. Dash's lips were soft, gentle, and sweet. They were everything she had ever imagined and more. Bliss was there, on the other side of the table, her dream. Her Rainbow Dash.

Dash, shocked at the sudden movement, found herself confused momentarily, but, realizing that her own dreams were becoming material, followed AJ's lead. She opened her mouth and felt the warm tongue slide between her lips, touching her own tongue. The sensation was exhilarating and she quickly began moving her tongue with AJ's. She almost moaned from the satisfaction of finally achieving a hope she thought unattainable. She moved with AJ and enjoyed the moment to the fullest, trying to make this moment last forever.

The door suddenly burst open and Applejack jerked backward, standing up. She had let her emotions go. The damn alcohol had caused it. What would Rainbow think? Who the buck ruined this? She glared angrily at the door and walked around the desk, unable to look at Dash. "What? What, JackSlap?" The green pony had better have a good excuse for this, and more so he had better not utter a single bucking word about what he might have seen.

JackSlap, shocked by what he had opened the door onto, stuttered over his words, but seeing Applejack angrily coming towards him, spit them out as quickly as possible. "Boss, I can't find that unicorn. She left the shop early while I was doing some business in town. She ain't back and I thought you should know."

Applejack growled. Everything was going wrong! JackSlap, a trusted enforcer, had lost Twilight. She genuinely felt frightened. She didn't want Twilight harmed in Ponyville; they were friends after all and the lavender mare was the only way to release stress, that didn't impair her judgment. She yelled irately at the enforcer, "How the BUCK do you lose a unicorn and a dragon? Go get some of the others. We're headin' inta town ta find her. JackSlap, if she's so much as nicked Ah'm gonna make ya regret it."

Rainbow had loved every second of their moment, but the way Applejack refused to look at her afterward and the way she had suddenly become so concerned for Twilight upset her. What was that they had just had? Now she was rushing off into the night to find that unicorn spy? Was Dash just a plaything to her? Kick her when she's down and use her when she's well? Was that it? They had never kissed. What had happened? She stood and faced the country mare. She watched the green earth pony hustle off to gather some other enforcers and dashed up to Applejack before she could exit. "AJ, I … what was … didn't that …"

Applejack had to protect herself. She wasn't a deviant. She wasn't a lesbimare. She couldn't be. If she gave in, she would be a freak and weak. She had to be strong. With that mentality, Applejack rebuilt her protective walls, at least for the moment, and glared at Rainbow Dash. "Dash, you've always been a loser. Get out of mah sight. Ah've got things ta do."

Applejack's heart felt like breaking and, as she walked out of the house and away from the cyan pegasus, she shed only a single tear before turning to stone again.


	13. The Illusion Shimmers

In the month since Twilight had spent the night with Pinkie and Fluttershy, the pair had re-opened Sugar Cube Corner as a party catering service. Their business was still slow but the pair found themselves catching a train a couple of times a week to perform parties for ponies in other towns. The trips away from Ponyville always were exciting and full of potential, but the trips back to Ponyville were bittersweet.

Pinkie still made drugs, unbeknownst to everypony except Shy and Harvest. She hated making the little cakes. Ponies were hurting because of her drugs. She wanted to stop, but until they had made enough bits to relocate, she just couldn't.

Pinkie Pie pulled her small carriage of party supplies behind her as she walked along the street to Sugar Cube Corner. The party in Hoofington had gone well, a simple birthday party for a pair of twin colts. She had baked a special cake for them, shaped like a skateboard. The twins had just turned ten and were into those sports referred to as "extreme". Pinkie had decorated accordingly and the foals had thoroughly enjoyed themselves. She had been given a tip for the extra expenditure of a skateboard ramp that jumped a box designated to explode ribbons and confetti when the pair boarded across the gap. The parents had been thrilled and quite a few other parents at the party had asked for business cards.

Despite the success, Pinkie was glad to be almost home. Fluttershy had stayed behind and, even though Pinkie had only been gone one night, was anxious to make sure her friend was all right. As she closed the distance, she identified the form of an earth pony sitting outside of Sugar Cube Corner—JackSlap.

JackSlap's presence meant Twilight was visiting. That was a good thing, except that JackSlap was pretty much her bodyguard now. He made Pinkie Pie uncomfortable. She knew he was an enforcer for Applejack and was probably looking for the source of the new drugs. Pinkie had taken to keeping her drug-making equipment in the basement and locked inside a utility closet. If any of Applejack's goons ever spotted them, she would be in trouble. The only relief was that JackSlap never came into Sugar Cube Corner, not even when they partied, although Pinkie Pie always made sure to bring a plate of food to the impolite, nasty pony. She wanted to try to seem as nice as possible to him, reducing his possible suspicions, if he had any.

Pinkie smiled for the thug's benefit; the grin was large and happened to be fake, but with an expert grinner like Pinkie Pie, he wouldn't be able to tell it was false. "Hi Jackie! It's so good to see you! I just got back from Hoofington! Have you ever been to Hoofington? Well let me tell you, it is one nice place. All the ponies have these funny accents and they eat these neat little desserts called … " Pinkie rambled to JackSlap, who only watched unenthusiastically.

JackSlap rubbed a hoof through his purple mane and sighed. He hated when the pink one started talking. She didn't know how to shut up and he had been explicitly warned against doing business, giving in to any violent outbursts, or using foul language around Twilight. The boss pampered the brat and JackSlap was her keeper. He loathed the lavender mare for his new duties. "Yeah, fancy stuff, fiddly dee."

Pinkie bounced up and down, legitimately happy that Twilight was visiting, but also to play dumb to the green pony. Pinkie trotted happily to the door and unhooked her carriage. She was digging for her keys when JackSlap spoke again.

"Oh wait. There is something else." He smirked to himself. The boss had wanted the pink one brought to her. She had some "business" to discuss with her. JackSlap loved when business was discussed; it meant pain. He wasn't sure what the annoying pink pony had done, but if the boss was handling it personally, it was something serious.

Pinkie stopped and looked over at the green pony, who was smirking as if there was something he just couldn't wait to tell her. He had probably been looking at her backside again. She knew he did that, she'd caught him more than once. "Oh I hope it's something fun! I love surprises! Is it something good Jackie?"

JackSlap smirked. "Boss wants to see you. Your little unicorn friend's been talkin'. Applejack knows what you have been up to and needs to discuss it with you."

Pinkie's blood stopped in her veins. She couldn't breathe for a moment and her heart felt like a lump of ice. Applejack wanted to see her. She knew what Pinkie had been up to? That didn't sound good at all. JackSlap had toyed with her, lulling her into security instead of just assaulting her and dragging her to Applejack. Pinkie's hoofgun was inside because she had not taken it with her to Hoofington. She needed to get it; it would give her a chance when things got bad. She had to protect Shy. Her voice quaked slightly as she spoke, just enough to hint that she was fretful. "Oh, let me go inside and get cleaned up, JackSlap."

"No, boss said as soon as possible. Right, Mac?" JackSlap spoke and heavy hoofsteps came sounding from around the corner of the newly converted party shop.

Big Mac stepped into sight—large, red, and looking angry.

"Eeyup."

Pinkie knew she was in deep trouble.

Twilight had hoped to see Pinkie Pie before being escorted back to Sweet Apple Acres by the green earth stallion, but it didn't appear to be likely. She wished Fluttershy a good evening and fell in line behind JackSlap with her assistant Spike.

Twi looked over to Spike and smiled; she had been having a wonderful day. She had taught Sweetie that morning just before sunrise and remarked on the filly's astounding successes in duplicate imagery, auditory hallucinations, and a few minor tricks in the divination school of magic.

This was followed by a wonderful breakfast of wheat waffles and apples with her friend Applejack, who had been so worried that night when Twi and Spike had been trapped by nightfall in Sugar Cube Corner. She had apparently even come looking for them, but had not thought to check the former bakery. Twi had felt ashamed for not letting AJ know where they were, but she hadn't expected to be caught in Ponyville at night.

After breakfast, the lavender unicorn went to visit her friend Rarity in Ponyville, a mare with whom she regularly spent time, and have lunch before heading over to Sugar Cube Corner Party Planners, to check on the state of business of her fun-loving friends, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

The mare looked to the dragon and said, sighing wistfully, "Hasn't today been wonderful, Spike? I've had so much fun."

Spike's adorable purple brow furrowed in response. He had long since had the idea that something was fishy at Sweet Apple Acres and had been undergoing minor investigations into the theory. Spike found himself listening into conversations of the working ponies and observing patterns on the farm. Why were there almost always big ponies with mean looks standing around certain structures such as the barn?

Also, they had stumbled across a greenhouse set back away from the farm in a piece of semi-dead forest. The windows were all darkened and impossible to see through. Apple Bloom had told them it was being used in testing the chemicals with which Twilight had previously assisted to help facilitate soil replenishment. Nopony was allowed inside, not even Apple Bloom, because of the potential threat to health. That was also, she said, why there was always a pony guarding it. That was a possibility, but it just seemed strange, given that Twi had worked on those chemicals without any protective gear, knowing them to be safe. Why were they now a potential threat?

Spike toyed momentarily with sharing his concerns with Twilight, but quickly decided against it. Her constant dismissals of questions he raised had worn on him. "That's good …" the dragon half-heartedly responded.

Twilight let out an annoyed sigh and looked at her friend. She was tired of listening to Spike's insecurities about Applejack and the rest of Sweet Apple Acres. They were good ponies and some of the best friends Twilight had made in Ponyville and she couldn't understand why Spike thought otherwise. He constantly made off comments about things seeming "weird" or "unusual" about the farm. She didn't want JackSlap to hear, for fear of word reaching Applejack and offending her. She moved close to Spike to whisper to her aggravating assistant. "Spike, I've had enough of your sour attitude. There is nothing 'weird' about Sweet Apple Acres." The pony paused momentarily before continuing her thought, "Don't you remember how worried AJ was for us when we didn't show up that night we stayed with Pinkie? The first time, I mean—not the last couple of times. She was at her wit's end when we showed up the next day. She had been so worried about us and had sent nearly half the farm into Ponyville to make sure we were safe."

Spike sighed and looked at his friend; he wished so much she would just open her eyes a little. Twilight, to be the smartest pony he knew, was also quite naïve and, as much as he hated to say it, dense. He had attempted to explain his thoughts to her more than a few times, but she just wouldn't hear it. Nevertheless, he decided to try again. "Twilight, please. Let's just go back home and forget this friendship magic thing. This town isn't like Canterlot; it's not safe and I don't think you can change it."

Twilight's expression changed from annoyed to slightly angry. Even Spike had to admit there had been an improvement in Ponyville since she had arrived. She had made several friends and they had all commented on how much happier they were now that Twilight had entered their lives. Rarity had bonded with Pinkie and Fluttershy after nearly five years of avoidance and their friendships were blossoming and bearing fruit. Applejack had admitted her own enjoyment of having met the unicorn. Rainbow Dash was looking so much healthier and was training the young pegasus, Scootaloo, to be a performer for the Wonder Bolts, and while Twilight had not directly aided in this, felt that she had somehow inspired the actions through her training with Sweetie or the effort she put into the town. She believed these illustrations of hope and friendship had her as their center point. Like a stone will cause ripples in a pond of water, she had set in motion the power of friendship and others were feeling effects of it.

Twilight shook her head at the dragon and spoke in a tone that nearly chastised him. "All that we have seen and you want to just go home now? I've put a lot of effort and time into this study and we are finally seeing some headway. We're staying, Spike. We can't stop now."

Spike sighed again and tried to look apologetic to the mare; he was only worried about her well-being. "I just don't want anything to happen to you, Twilight. I just worry about this place. It's not like Canterlot."

"I know, and that's why we have to stay. We're doing well, Spike. In a short time we might have everypony happy and friendly again. It's possible, Spike." Twilight felt bad for being so short with her friend. He was doing what he thought was best, but his fear was getting to him. "I know you're afraid, Spike, but things are getting better. Before long this will be a happy town again."

Spike nodded, but looked to the path. "Okay, Twilight," he whispered, ending their secretive conversation. He listened and answered when asked a question, but they were non-committal because he was off in his own mind, thinking.

The only way to prove to Twilight that something was wrong and to persuade her to return to Canterlot before something bad happened was to find proof and confront her with it. The diminutive dragon set his jaw and nodded to himself; he would do just that.

Pinkie Pie followed Big Macintosh with her mind going a mile a minute. Frantically, she tried to think of a way out of this situation. Big Mac was the strongest earth pony Pinkie had ever known and attempting to fight him would end very badly for the pink pony. Mac was the most feared of Applejack's ponies. He was ruthless, violent, and reportedly enjoyed his duties. Pinkie wouldn't stand a chance with him in a fair fight. Damn; if she could have only gotten inside she could have, at least, stashed a blade on her person.

Fighting was out. She could turn and run. If she could get away from Mac, powerful but slow, she could get Fluttershy and make a break for Golden Harvest's hideout or even another town. With any hope, the Apples would not follow her into the territory of Harvest's strengthening gang or out of town. However, that required getting by JackSlap, gathering a few supplies, and probably dragging the frightened Fluttershy behind her. Big Mac would have plenty of time to catch her before she would be ready. She might be able to just shoot him and flee once she acquired her gun, but he would have time to get help as well. There was no guarantee she wasn't being followed by other members she had not seen.

Pinkie sighed to herself, the stress really churning her stomach until it felt sick. Maybe AJ didn't know everything. Maybe she was just going to talk to her. After all, they had been friends before. That warranted some sympathy, right?

"Keep up."

Pinkie had slowed her speed accidentally while she thought and the gruff voice of the red stallion shocked her back to the world. She had jumped when he spoke, expecting some degree of violence. When no further action seemed probable, she assumed he was under orders to bring her to Applejack unharmed. Maybe she wanted to make a business deal with Pinkie. It wasn't out of the question, but Pinkie doubted it severely. She recognized her wishful thinking and decided that AJ wanted her unharmed so she could do it all herself.

Pinkie's hopes bottomed out but she would play her part until the very end. She would be smiling, happy, silly Pinkie Pie and deny any knowledge of drug making until she couldn't hold out any longer. Applejack may not kill her if she only suspected Pinkie's involvement.

The pink mare hoped things would not go badly, but she knew she was probably walking to her own terrible demise. She would fight back if she could. She would try and leave a mark before they killed her. At the very worst, she would admit her guilt and disavow any participation of Fluttershy. She could protect her friend.

They arrived at Sweet Apple Acres altogether too quickly, and Pinkie took a moment to look up at the farmhouse. Her legs wobbled for a moment and she swallowed hard, forcing the knot in her throat to loosen momentarily. How odd it was to see the structure she used to view as a place of fun and friendship as the place of her departure from the world. She only jolted forward as a response to Big Mac's sudden annoyed glance back at her.

Pinkie passed through the field before the farmhouse and then through the fine oaken doorway into the home and business of her drug rival. She wished so badly that she already had the resources to abandon the manufacturing of drugs. The party pony truly did not want to make any more drugs. AJ could make and sell all she wanted for all Pinkie cared; she just wanted to be finished with it. Pinkie wondered if promising to stop creating drugs would soothe the angered drug lord.

Big Macintosh led the pink pony through the living room, but stopped as three young fillies came barreling down the stairs. The small yellow one with a ribbon in her hair paused to wave at Pinkie, who waved back, smiling happily despite her terror. Mac nodded at Pinkie and led her up the stairs.

Immediately upon making the second floor, Big Mac knocked his hoof against the first door. From inside, Pinkie heard Applejack.

"Send'er in here, Big Mac. Ah've been itchin' fer this moment."

Pinkie felt as if her heart pumped cave water—icy, black, and stale. She looked to Macintosh, who only opened the door for her. She stepped slowly into the room, certain this would be the room in which her eyes would close for the last time. As Pinkie entered, she saw a large stained desk and an orange earth pony in a Stetson hat sitting behind it—Applejack.

Applejack smiled at Pinkie. She had waited all morning for this and meant to draw it out. "Pinkie Pie, mah friend. We've gotta lot ta discuss. Please, sit down. Ya must be tired from all the business you've been doin'."

Pinkie moved toward the chair on her side of the desk and focused on staying cheerful and friendly. "I've been REALLY busy, Applejack! I went to Hoofington and threw this ultra-superlicious party and I couldn't believe how much fun I had while I was there! What have you been doing? You look like you could use a party!" She pushed the cold edge of her frightened emotions down into her stomach and let her bubbly attitude take over, playing dumb and happy.

AJ had grudgingly accepted Twilight's story of meeting ponies named Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. The details she gave were good descriptions of her former friends and her description of what they had been doing had particularly caught Applejack's ear. She would have to see them again. Applejack had argued with herself about Twilight's activities. Had she spied for Canterlot and was the whole Pinkie Pie story a ruse? She chose not to think ill of Twilight, her friend and source of peace, but the worry that had crawled under AJ's skin after first meeting the unicorn began to squirm again. AJ began to wonder if there was a way to bring Twilight closer to the Apple Family. Maybe she would be able to turn the unicorn. She had to think on it. But, that was thought for another time. Now, she had business to attend to.

Applejack watched the pink mare, the smile tiring out her facial muscles from trying to appear happy and jubilant. "Oh, mah stars, Pinkie. It must have been fun. Ah've been havin' quite a good time 'round here mahself. Y'all wouldn't believe the things Ah've been doin'."

Pinkie felt the shiver run down her spine as she watched the Apple mare. She didn't know what to think about her. Applejack's smile was wide and toothy, almost freakishly large and fake. Pinkie knew fake smiles when she saw them. Deep inside she wanted to make Applejack truly smile with happiness, but she pushed those thoughts away as she remembered why she was here—to be executed. "Oh, I've heard all kinds of things about you, AJ. Ponies all over Ponyville are afraid of you. They all say you're mean and cold and like to hurt others. That you sell drugs and profit from other's pain! Isn't that crazy? I think you are just doing what you need to do to survive!"

Applejack's smile fell and she gave the pink mare a dark look. No more acting. "Yeah? So y'all know what Ah do, Pinkie?"

"Well, duh, everypony knows what the Apple Family does, silly. It's not like it's a big secret or anything." Pinkie was cheerfully honest.

"And yer not scared bein' in here? Ya know what happens ta most ponies if Ah have ta send fer'em." Applejack wasn't smiling at all anymore; she was all business, evaluating Pinkie's demeanor and response.

"Don't be silly. You're my friend Applejack and I don't care what you've done, you're still my bestest friend!" Pinkie was proud of herself; she really made that sound honest. Her grin beamed at the stern earth pony with the sour face. Pinkie felt her heart skip a beat as Applejack stood from behind her desk and planted her hooves heavily on it. She was about to call in Big Mac to hold her down. The torture would start and Pinkie would be screaming in agony.

"Y'all don't know how good that makes me feel, Pinkie." Applejack looked up with a slight smile and a tiresome expression. All the dark, brooding evil had escaped her features and she just looked exhausted and stressed. She fell back into her chair and was happy her old friend, Pinkie, wasn't afraid of her. Maybe it was because of Twilight and her constant yapping about the magic of friendship, but AJ had been missing her old friends. She was relieved when Pinkie didn't criticize or fear her. Good old Pinkie Pie. AJ could always count on her bounciness. She smirked as her friend looked dumbfounded with her eyes caught in an expression of confusion and her bottom lip sticking out as if she were in mid-sentence when she was caught unaware. "Ah got a proposition fer ya, Pinkie. You and Fluttershy."

Pinkie had to take a moment to correct herself. She was caught unaware by Applejack's mood shift. Pinkie's mind was quick though and she reacted with a smile so bright it could have lit up the abyss of space. Unless this was some kind of trick, she was going to go home after all. "What's that, AJ?"

"Well, Apple Bloom's birthday is coming up next week and Twilight tells me ya've started a party business. Ah wanted ta see ya and make sure that was true; last Ah heard yer partyin' days were done." Applejack already knew the answer to her question. Pinkie was jolly and jumping, a far cry from what she had heard of the pink mare until recently.

"Absotively posilutely! Sugar Cube Corner Party Planners, that's what we call ourselves! Isn't it the most exciting thing ever? I never thought of planning parties as a job! It's great! I get to bake and play games and make everypony from foals to grown stallions smile and enjoy themselves!" Pinkie hopped up and down in her seat, unable to control her excitement.

"Good. Ah want ta hire y'all ta cater Apple Bloom's birthday. Spare no expense, Pinkie. Ah want this party ta be the best mah sister has ever had. We can set it up here on the farm. What do ya think, Pinkie? Will ya do it?" Applejack hoped she would say yes. She wanted two things out of this: Apple Bloom to have a party to remember and to attempt to rebuild the friendships she used to have. Twilight's persistence was getting to her. She may not be able to repair all the ill deeds she had done, but she could patch up the relationships she used to have with her friends. She sighed and thought about the blue pegasus for a moment. Maybe even with that one … She was head of the family now, didn't that come with its own benefits? Maybe she could admit her feelings, go all in and let the chips fall where they may. For a moment, she lost her concentration.

Pinkie didn't notice and leaped from her chair, grinning like a mad pony and making a celebratory whooping noise. "Of course! I'd love to cater your sister's party! It will be the biggest, best, most partiest party ever to party!" She had completely lost her fear in the country mare and saw only the potential for the biggest party ever! She would even cut her friend some breaks on the fee.

Applejack couldn't help but be infected by Pinkie's enthusiasm and she stood and came around to celebrate with the party pony. "That's the spirit, Pinkie! Ah can't wait ta see it. Make sure Fluttershy comes, too. Ah'd like ta see her as well."

Pinkie nodded and chuckled, settling down some and ceasing to hop about the room, coming to face Applejack. "It'll be great! I'll make sure it's everything you want it to be. Tell me about her; it's been a while since I have seen her. What does she like?" Pinkie was getting serious—well, as serious as she could be in party mode—and getting down to business.

Applejack was good at business and nodded to her friend, but suddenly looked ashamed and sighed. "Pinkie, Ah'm sorry Ah haven't been ta see ya in so long. Ah … now, this ain't no excuse, but Ah was so worried about the farm and the family that Ah forgot what havin' friends was like." She looked sad and dropped her head slightly. Things had gotten out of hoof before and were starting to get that way again, and all the stress was weighing heavy on her heart. Twilight and all her talk about friendship was making her remember too much. She knew that it was bad for her business to feel this way; the business needed a strong leader, not a moping sap longing her friends, but she just couldn't help it. She felt as though she needed some support. She was hurting underneath all the hard layers she wore.

The pink mare hugged Applejack tightly and chuckled into her ear. "We all have had hard time, Applejack. It doesn't mean we can't fix what we let fall apart, does it?"

"No, maybe we can make some kinda' amends. Thanks, Pinks." Applejack's lips spread into a smile and she hugged the pink mare in return for a few moments before sitting. "Let's talk about Apple Bloom. She's a real big fan of …"

The decorations were set and the sun was going down. Apple Bloom loved the apple trees and thus they were the perfect setting for the party in her honor. The only remaining orchard was lit up with lanterns and candles, their brilliance magnified by the hundreds of shiny streamers hanging from the trees. A long oak table had been placed to support the 30 or so different types of food and drink. Another table held an ample supply of neatly wrapped presents addressed to Apple Bloom. At all corners of the family orchard, there were light and decorations, a smorgasbord of colors and lights that anypony would find amazing. Pinkie had really done her best with this one and had packed her party cannon full of fireworks for a grand finale after darkness had fallen and the party wound to its apex. There would be music, food, drink, festivities, and friendship enough for everypony and more. Apple Bloom would never forget this amazing display of love for her, of that Pinkie was sure.

There were nearly one hundred guests in attendance. Twilight and Spike were among the guests, of course. Most of the other attendees were family members, but among them were several ponies who rarely made appearances at Sweet Apple Acres. Pinkie Pie had told Fluttershy of what transpired in Applejack's office and, with a great deal of effort, talked her into attending the party. Rarity had also agreed to attend.

Rainbow Dash sat underneath the large apple tree that symbolized family for the Apples. A hard day of training had nearly worn her out, but she wouldn't miss Applejack's sister's birthday for anything. Maybe she would even manage to eke out a few moments alone with Applejack. She'd noticed the cowmare's glances in recent days and hoped the mood of the festivities might inspire Applejack to open up to the pegasus again.

It was nearly time. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had been instructed to keep Apple Bloom away from the main section of the farm so Pinkie could construct the party. The fillies had been excited and every moment of keeping Apple Bloom busy on the far side of Sweet Apple Acres seemed like years. They were, after all, fillies themselves and still loved parties and presents, even if they weren't receiving them. They had played with their yellow friend and counted the hours until finally it was time. They began their short trek to the orchard.

Applejack walked up to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, the latter of whom was shivering and as nervous as ever hiding behind Pinkie for protection, and smiled. "Y'all have done fixed this place up prettier n' a glob of butter on a stack of wheat cakes. Thank ya both so much." Applejack smirked at her shy friend, "Fluttershy, come out and act like somepony. Ah haven't talked ta ya in a coon's age."

Shy reluctantly stepped out from behind Pinkie, who was busy talking a mile a minute about how this was the best party she had ever put together. The shy pony waited in horror for Pinkie's mouth to slow to a sprint so she could say her few words and be out of Applejack's attention. She finally got her chance and spoke in hushed tones, big eyes threatening to spill tears at any second. "Hi … Applejack. It's, um, so … um, nice to see you again."

Applejack chuckled to herself and started to respond to the pegasus, but Rainbow Dash joined the group and spoke just ahead of the country mare.

"Fluttershy? I thought I recognized that whimpering." Dash joked with the shy mare. They had known each other longer than any of the others and Dash jumped at the chance to talk to her oldest friend again.

Fluttershy made a soft squeak and cast her big simpering eyes to the blue pegasus. She was choked on her words, but Pinkie bumped her, prompting her to speak. "Oh my … Rainbow, I haven't seen you in so long. You look …" She realized the word "good" probably wouldn't do and went quiet in embarrassment.

Dash didn't take offense and shook the words off. Rainbow's feathers had almost grown in again and she hadn't fallen prey to a seizure in weeks. She knew what she looked like, but also knew she was getting stronger every day. "Yeah, not so great now, but I plan on being back in shape before too long. I'm already looking and feeling better, right AJ?" She was confused about what had happened with Applejack and the few attempts she had made to talk to the earth pony came up with the country mare cutting her off and attending "business" elsewhere, usually with Twilight if she was around. Rainbow was getting tired of it. Applejack had grabbed her and kissed her. It was … the greatest moment of her life. Then she had to go and ruin it by putting her down and making excuses to keep away. Rainbow wanted answers.

Applejack, in a good mood, but also in the middle of her family and partners, held back her response and responded with a noncommittal grunt to the blue pegasus.

"Wow, Pinkie, I didn't know you could work such magic without a horn. This is beautiful. You really outdid yourself." Twilight joined the group with Rarity close behind; they had been talking together when they saw the group gathering and decided to join. The two unicorns had been visiting and partying with Pinkie and Fluttershy on a regular basis and were glad to have their company at the party.

"Yes, absolutely perfect, darling. If only you could do something about these dreadful mosquitoes. Ugh, they're trying to land on my beautiful face!" Rarity whined at the slightest discomfort, but was thoroughly impressed with the design of the decorations. She had to admit that Pinkie had a certain flare for design despite her lack of proper training or sophistication.

Rainbow grimaced at the sight of Twilight, still unable to forgive her for taking Applejack's attention. Even now, she could see the happiness that glimmered in AJ's eyes as she looked upon the lavender unicorn. Rainbow sighed at the rejection of the country mare. She wanted to just say it, to just spout the words in her heart, but it would be rude to overshadow Apple Bloom's birthday with such a confession. She would bide her time and make the best of the situation. "So Fluttershy, can you still do twelve straight shots of hard cider?"

Fluttershy blushed a new shade of red and made a "meep" sound as the others all turned to regard her in a questioning manner. She felt their eyes burrowing into her and she barely managed to speak. "Dash … I thought … we weren't going to talk about that again …"

"You drink, Shy?" Pinkie looked with real wonder and surprise.

"Does she?" Rainbow chortled and clapped the yellow pegasus on the back. "Way better than she flies. She's not nearly as shy after round five, are you Flutters? Remember when you threatened to show me what a real Sonic Rainboom looked like?"

They all laughed and began conversing with one another. It felt good and they spent a few moments as they had in times long past. They were only interrupted when JackSlap came trotting up to Applejack. "I seen'em, boss. Sootie and Shootapu are leading her right here."

Applejack, annoyed with the green pony's failure to remember the other filly's names, turned to the gathering. "All right, y'all. Get in yer places and when they come in, wait for mah signal."

The ponies in attendance all took their places behind the table and trees and waited for the three fillies to arrive. After nearly a minute, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle escorted the blindfolded Apple Bloom into the orchard.

"What are y'all doin'? What's this surprise ya gotta show me? Are the apples growin' in early or somethin'?" the small earth pony asked of her friends who simply giggled and walked on either side of her to keep her from stumbling and maintaining the correct direction. Their eyes were lit up by the sight and they could barely contain themselves.

The fillies came right up to the center of the party and stopped their red-maned friend. Sweetie stopped her and spoke excitedly, "Okay, get ready, Apple Bloom. You're going to be so surprised when you see this. Do it, Scoot."

Scootaloo yanked the blindfold from Apple Bloom's eyes and the filly gasped in shock and exhilaration as she took in the sight. Just as the incredible smile broke across her face, the hidden ponies all jumped out and yelled "SURPRISE!"

Apple Bloom's heart lifted and she was stunned by the gathering. All of this for her, really? There was so much to see and all the ponies she knew were there. She looked around and tears filled her little eyes as the joy she felt overcame her small frame. It was so beautiful, the whole setting, all of her friends; it was like some kind of dream.

"Happy birthday, little sister. We all love ya so much and we wanted ta show ya how special y'all are ta us." Applejack stepped from the crowd and right up to her younger sibling, who hugged her tightly and laughed.

"Thank ya so much, sis. Ah love ya so much." Apple Bloom squeezed her sister tightly and nuzzled her way into the orange pony's neck.

"All right, all right, that's enough a' that. Yer not supposed to be cryin' at yer birthday party." Applejack smiled to her sister, who grinned back and nodded, looking around at all the ponies she cared about.

At that moment, everything was perfect in the filly's mind. Nothing would ever be able to top it, of that she was certain. Apple Bloom looked around and grinned, "Thanks, everypony. Ah appreciate all this."

Pinkie Pie stepped from the group and looked around happily, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's PARTY!" The party cannon fired its first volley of fireworks into the sky to start the party off right just as Fluttershy hit the CD player, blasting a loud dance song through the speaker system across the orchard.

The party had truly begun.

Across the orchard, the ponies played, danced, and had a wonderful time. Each of the ponies found solace and companionship and for the first time felt as if the cracks riddling their friendships could be cemented and repaired. They each felt alive and happy with the others' company; fear and worry fell to the wayside as the party moved deeper into the night. The fireworks Pinkie ignited symbolized the ecstasy in their hearts on this perfect night. In the whole gathering, a general cheer could be felt reverberating among the guests and the holes in their lives seem to scab over and began to heal for each guest in attendance … except two.

The first was Scootaloo. The orange pegasus filly had begun the night's excitement with as much gusto and joy as any other pony, but as the night moved toward a close and Apple Bloom finished opening her gifts, a rare pain began to set into her heart. She missed her parents.

It was especially hard being an orphan because she had never found out why her parents decided to abandon her. One day everything was fine and she was happy with her mother and father. She was the apple of their eye and they loved her ferociously. Over the course of a couple weeks, however, it all changed. Their mirth subsided to indifference and then finally to disdain. The filly could barely remember what happened, but was certain things had gone from wonderful to frightening quickly. She wished she could remember it clearly, but she had been much smaller then and much of her younger life had been forgotten.

The filly wandered away from the party and out into a nearby field, finding a place to sit amongst a bed of meagerly growing weeds. That's what she felt like, a weed. She recalled her father's smile and embrace and felt her heart snap into pieces. She sighed and felt tears forming in her eyes. She wished she could see her father and mother again so badly. She would apologize for whatever she had done wrong and feel whole again.

The filly didn't know the extent of her scarring but sometimes, when she saw the love and care that Applejack gave Apple Bloom, she just felt empty inside. She wanted to be loved, too. She wanted to have a family to care for her and give her the acceptance she craved. Seeing Apple Bloom with so many ponies showering her with love and adoration had hurt Scoots. She knew she would never be loved like that, at least not from her real family. They had flown away, forever. She had searched, unknowingly, for a figure to take their place. That was how she had come to admire Rainbow Dash and, when things had gotten bad for the blue pegasus, why she had stayed by her side so loyally. Dash was everything she had wanted to be, strong, fast, talented, and amazing. Scoot was glad that Rainbow was getting better, especially since the pegasi only had each other for trust and support. But, still, Rainbow Dash couldn't replace Scoot's parents, not really …

Scootaloo sighed and looked up at the moon. The soft ball of light wafted high in the heavens and Scoot wanted to soar up after it, to feel the wind below her wings and be free from the wretched earth below. She let out another sigh and lowered her head. Things would get better; they had to. She couldn't feel much worse than she did now, being jealous over her best friend's family and feeling alone in the world. Things couldn't get much worse.

"What are you doing out here, Scoot?" Sweetie Belle's voice cut the silence like a knife. The unicorn filly had seen Scootaloo wandering away from the party and followed her. Sweetie's plan on patching the holes in her relationship with Scootaloo was having no real results. She hadn't given up hope, but Scoot just didn't reciprocate the effort. If Scootaloo was upset, this could be her big chance to make her see she really was her friend. The white filly moved closer to the pegasus.

"What do you want, Sweetie?" Scoot turned her head to face the filly. She still didn't trust her or want to be her friend. She wouldn't fall for that trickster's ploy.

The tears in Scootaloo's eyes dripped down her muzzle and left two dark orange lines on her coat in their wake. Sweetie saw the shimmer of moonlight in the lines under Scoot's eyes. "Have you been crying, Scoot?"

Scootaloo made an aggravated grunt and turned from the unicorn. "Yeah, so what? Are you going to make fun of me about it or something?"

"No … What's wrong?" The filly, trying to emulate her hero Twilight, really wanted to help the pegasus.

"Nothing, just leave me alone. I don't want you here." Scootaloo felt even worse now, because Sweetie Belle had caught her at such a weak moment. She knew Sweetie wouldn't let such an opportunity pass her by; she would use this against her or tell everypony about it.

Sweetie came walking slowly up beside Scootaloo. "I want to help, Scoot. Tell me what's wrong."

Scootaloo suddenly felt more than annoyed. It wasn't right she had been abandoned, it wasn't right Applejack was mean to Rainbow, and it wasn't right she had to put up with this arrogant little bag of lies, Sweetie Belle. She turned angrily towards the unicorn and yelled, "LEAVE ME ALONE! I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!" She had screamed directly into the filly's face and was breathing hard, her emotions taking their toll on her patience.

Sweetie narrowed her eyes angrily and glared at the pegasus. "I'm trying to help you feel better! Why are you yelling at me?"

"You are NOT trying to make me feel better. You came out here to make fun of me … You're not my friend! It's all about getting Applejack to think you are so great! I don't want to play this game anymore. Just leave me alone or …" Scootaloo snarled, looking away from the unicorn.

Sweetie's dander was up and she knew it would be wise to just leave the pegasus to herself and let her work through her own issues, but memories of last time kept invading her mind. Being pinned to the ground and feeling helpless had made her feel weak. She wasn't weak, not when all her talents were added together. She knew she should just walk away, but she had to do something, say something. "I wanted to help you, Scootaloo! You are just a dumb bitch." She stood and began walking away as Scoot turned away and grunted. She had taken a few steps when she said the words she would quickly come to regret, "No wonder your parents left you behind."

In the reeling fog of depression, anger, and jealousy that occupied Scootaloo's mind, those words were like gasoline to a fire. Sweetie had said the perfect phrase to send the pain inside Scootaloo into a roaring inferno of hate. Scoot turned and charged the unicorn filly. She caught her with a shoulder block that sent her sprawling to the grassy earth. Scootaloo growled angrily, "I HATE you, Sweetie!"

Sweetie's ire was up now as well as she picked herself up from the ground. She grunted and looked at her skinned knee. "Ouch, you stupid idiot! What the fuck, Scootaloo? I was leaving!"

Scoots didn't care anymore, the white snot had been asking for a fight for a long time and she was about to get it. "My parents … they wouldn't have left me without a good reason! I was good! They loved me!"

Sweetie recognized the look in Scoot's eyes as tormented, but she didn't care. Her knee hurt and she was tired of being pushed around by the pegasus. "Oh yeah? Loved you so much they left you to die in that shit hole you called a home!" Sweetie had a bad temper and controlling it was hard for her. Her temper generally took control of her mouth and said things that her mind told her not to say. She was intelligent and knew better than to say such mean things to a pony in such a state as Scoot was, but her anger just wouldn't listen.

Scootaloo charged the filly again and leapt at her, but the unicorn was fast and dodged the attack. Scoot turned quickly, but caught a hoof to the ribs as Sweetie countered the failed pounce. Scoot clenched her muscles and absorbed the blow; it hurt, but not much. She struck back, narrowly missing Sweetie's face with her hoof.

Sweetie jumped back, called upon her magical powers, her horn glowing pink for a moment, and then, out of nowhere, a copy of herself appeared beside her. Scoot was distracted by the display and Sweetie capitalized on the moment, both her and her clone sweeping towards the pegasus.

Scoot couldn't believe her eyes; the unicorn had learned some new tricks. The two Sweeties rushed her and she swung at the one coming from her right, but her hoof went through the illusory image and she took a nasty shot to the side of the face from the real Sweetie. She was stunned and surprised enough to catch another blow from the opposite side as Sweetie Belle brought her other forehoof around to catch Scoot's cheek.

Scootaloo fell back and shook her head, her face stung, but there was no real damage. Sweetie was small and weak; the worm could hit her all day with those pathetic hooves and not really hurt her. "I'm going to make you pay for that, Sweetie."

"Yeah? Come do it, retard." Sweetie Belle charged another spell, her duplicate image having vanished after being struck by Scootaloo. This time she yanked a heavy stone from the ground and floated it in front of her. Her hooves hadn't deterred the pegasus; she would have to use something bigger and harder. She silently wondered which was harder, the rock or Scoot's head. She planned to find out and swung the stone out in front of her, whizzing just by the dodging pegasus' body. She grumbled and tried again, this time clipping Scoot's front leg.

The pegasus gave a short whimper as the rock collided with her right leg. It had Charlie horsed the muscle in her foreleg; the blow had been glancing, but it was enough to assure the filly that, if Sweetie caught her solidly, it would do some real damage. She backed up slowly, watching as Sweetie tried for another shot. She hopped over the low blow and realized that when Sweetie missed it took her a second to regain control of the stone. If she could dodge another attack, she would have an opening. She wanted nothing more than to pound that pretty little white face with her hooves and she knew Sweetie had a bad temper. Maybe she could use that to her advantage. "Have you been whoring with Twilight again, Sweetie? Is that why you're so good with your magic now? Using it to jerk off stallions?"

Sweetie snarled, her vision going red from Scoot's comment. She hated that pegasus. She hated how she always bullied her and how she talked poorly of Twilight. Twilight was the best mare in the world and nopony was going to say bad things about her! She spun the rock in the air and brought it up over her head, meaning to use it to crush Scootaloo's back with it. We'll see how good she can fly with a broken back!

Bingo, Scoot watched the stone go up and, just as it started to descend, she dashed forward, flapping her wings for some extra speed. The stone landed with a loud thump behind the orange filly; she felt the wind from the blow across her rump and the vibration from the impact, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that Sweetie had missed and was standing defenseless as Scoot closed the distance quickly.

Scootaloo connected with her leap this time, driving her front hooves into the shoulders of the unicorn, forcing her up, over, and onto her back. Scoot wasted no time in climbing on top of Sweetie Belle, taking a somewhat vicious shot to the face as she did. She snarled down at her former friend and stomped her hooves down onto Sweetie's front legs, pinning them by her sides. "Remember last time? Dash won't stop me this time, Sweetie!"

Sweetie watched the hoof go up, saw the intent in Scoot's eyes and attempted a spell to catch the pegasus' rising hoof. She remembered all too well the panic of being pinned and it was just as she recalled. Her horn flared to life, but it was too late. Just as the magic started to envelop Scootaloo's hoof, it came down hard, finding its mark on Sweetie's muzzle. She cried out as her muzzle split open under her nostril, her warm blood flooding down across her cheeks as another heavy blow landed against her lips. She heard the sickening clack as hoof and teeth collided. Somehow, her teeth stayed rooted in her mouth, but the blow caused her lip to split and spill a new gout of blood back into her mouth. The taste was like iron and she wanted to run to Twilight. She wished she had kept her mouth shut.

Scoot alternated hooves and rained several hard punches into the shrieking filly's unprotected face. It felt good. It felt so good. She had wanted to do this for so long, to hurt the snotty know-it-all. To make her eat all her threats and smart-aleck words. All the anger she had was fueling her strikes, funneling the cruel emotions into pain for that meddling white bitch. She was finally making her pay and it felt so good. She heard the crying and whimpering from Sweetie Belle and it was music to her ears. She struck her repeatedly, making sure the little snot would keep her fucking mouth shut forever.

The other guest to be feeling something other than happiness was Spike the dragon. He was worried and all of his instincts told him there was something terribly wrong with this farm. Rarity had hinted at it when they first met and Spike had paid special attention to her concerns. He had hoped to be able to console the lovely mare and alleviate her worries, so he had taken to observing more of the farm's inner workings. Much to his chagrin, the oddities of the farm only reinforced Rarity's concerns. There was the way certain areas always had one of the big tough ponies nearby, the visits by ponies who seemed pretty unlikely to be buying apples, and the weird white powder he had witnessed one of the Apple cousins wearing just under his nostrils. Something didn't add up and he meant to find out what. If Twilight was in danger, it was up to him to find out. With hope, he would get to the bottom of the farm's secrets and convince Twilight to leave. Perhaps he could even talk Rarity into accompanying the pair back to Canterlot, too …

The dragon watched the ponies party and have a good time. He watched the groups closely and soon had counted almost all of the ponies present. Spike took hold of the moment and quickly snuck away from the party. He ran deeper into the orchard and circled out, staying near the tree line. Where would he go? If something was wrong with this place, what was the best place to search for proof?

He thought for a moment and remembered how Big Mac once had stopped them from getting too close to one small building set off to the side of the farm. He decided to check that building first, since it was nearby. He'd try for the greenhouse and barn later, if he could. He stayed in the shadows of the trees and circled the farm until he could see the small building in the shadow of the hill the farm sat upon. Looking around for movement, he decided it was safe and ran quickly to the shed-like structure made out of concrete. Mac had said it was a storage shed for pest controlling chemicals. Spike doubted that and tried the door.

A chain and lock secured the door and it rattled noisily in the calm night air. Spike's heart jumped into his throat and he fell flat to the ground to reduce his visibility in case somepony heard the metallic clinking of the chain. He looked around nervously, but soon stood back up and inspected the chain.

It was sturdy and would withstand most normal methods of breaking, but Spike was a dragon and only smirked confidently at the metal links. He let loose a gout of dragon fire that melted the pathetic attempt to keep him out of the shed. He was sure that nopony was out there besides him after the noise had not attracted any nosey ponies and so he didn't worry about the sudden light from his fire.

Spike pulled on the door and took a quick glance around the outside before ducking into the concrete shed. He pulled the door closed behind him and tried to look around, but the windowless building was pitch black. Spike carefully felt around the wall by the door, but couldn't find a light switch. He sighed and let loose a short puff of fire to get his bearings. He made out a chair in the center of the room and, more importantly, a pull-string lightbulb hanging from the ceiling.

The dragon ignited his fire again and used the momentary light to guide himself to the chair; climbing up and standing on it, he blindly swiped for the pull-string of the bulb until his claws caught it. He took a deep breath, realizing something in this room smelled a little strange, and pulled the cord.

The light bulb spilled dim yellow light across the concrete floor and walls, revealing a multitude of what could only be bloodstains. The gravity of what Spike was witnessing took several moments to digest. There was a wide oval around the chair the color of rust and many smaller ones of all shapes across the walls and floor. He could hardly understand what it was as the sight assaulted his innocent mind. His breath caught in his chest and panic brought shivers through his body. He shouldn't be seeing this. It couldn't be real, but it was. This was a room of pain. He could almost hear the ghosts of the ponies who had met their end in this room. The dragon wanted to just run out of the door and forget what he had seen, but it was too late for that now. He had found something the Apples were hiding and he had to warn Twilight … and Rarity. What if Rarity's sister found this? He shivered and quickly pulled the cord again, turning the light off.

In the darkness of the room, he could only hear his own breathing and climbed down from the chair. He thought for a moment about what he had seen. Maybe he was wrong about it. Maybe those were just chemical stains on the floor and walls. It was possible, right? Something was wrong with this place, but not something that bad, right? Nopony could torture and kill others like that, right? He took a few steps towards the door and stepped on something sharp. He let out a squeak and yanked the offending object from his foot, carrying it with him as he opened the door and made his exit.

In the light of the moon, just outside of the door he lifted his fist up to his eyes and opened his fingers. Sitting inside his palm was a pony's tooth. He felt sick and terrified as he gazed upon what was once inside of a pony's head. It was blood inside that shed. The Apples were criminals, bad ones. He had to warn the others and get out of here. His body shook in terror and he tossed the tooth into the darkness and ran as quickly as he could back in the direction of the orchard, wanting to be back within the safety of the crowd. He didn't know how he would tell Twilight what he had seen, but he would have to, and soon. He doubted he could get Twi or Rarity alone tonight, with the party going on, but tomorrow would be different. First thing in the morning, away from the crowds of ponies where he could talk to her straightly and to the point, he would tell Twilight everything he had seen. Once he had convinced her, he could get Rarity's sister and Rarity herself … rescue them both.

He forced himself to be patient. Tomorrow, they would all return to Canterlot, where they could inform Princess Celestia of this dreadful farm.

JackSlap had grown bored of the party; it just wasn't his kind of fun. He might venture back in a little while when some of the mares had had a little too much to drink from the "adults-only" punch that somepony, namely him, had spiked and try to pick one of them up for a little alone time. He had his eye on that one, Apple Cobbler; was that her name? Didn't matter really; she had a nice rump. He chuckled to himself and walked around the farm. He wasn't really expecting to find anything, but something had caught his attention. A sudden burst of light had flared up on the other side of the disciplinary shed. He didn't like the idea of somepony messing around there. Concealing himself among the trees, he moved around the shed to where he could better see the door.

For a moment he thought that maybe his eyes had played tricks on him because he didn't see anypony at all, but just as he was about to chock it up to the alcohol, the door opened and a little purple dragon came out, holding something in his hand. JackSlap stayed low and watched as the dragon visibly trembled and threw whatever was in his hand out into the grass and ran off back towards the party. The way he ran suggested he had learned something frightening to him. JackSlap grimaced and moved up to the shed, opening the door and looking inside.

He had forgotten to clean up after he had beaten that last pony to death. The dragon had seen all the blood and found something inside that scared him. JackSlap moved into the grass and began rummaging where he thought the item landed. After a few minutes, he plucked the tooth from the grass. This was bad. He didn't know how AJ would want to handle this. She was partial to the unicorn and the dragon was the unicorn's friend … but he would have to be dealt with. He had seen too much. He needed to talk to Applejack and soon, before the dragon could talk to that uptight purple mare about what he had witnessed.


	14. And Fades

Segment 2: Chapter 6

Sweetie Belle was dead…

Or at least she wished she was. She had lost consciousness to panic and pain as Scootaloo mounted the unicorn and brutalized her with an impressive display of melee aptitude. In other words, Sweetie had been held down and punched in the face until she had been knocked out. The filly, however, did not recall the fight immediately.

She had awoken shortly after, alone and enduring pain like she had never experienced. The white filly with a cotton candy purple and pink mane hauled herself to her hooves, hearing the party in the distance, and dragging herself towards the farmhouse. Her mind was lost in a sea of pain with a thick fog of confusion preventing much of her memory from being easily recalled. On top of that, it felt as though she had an apple tucked inside each of her cheeks and her left eye refused to open.

She wondered, in her confusion, if she had been stung by yellow jackets. She had once stepped into the ground nest of yellow jackets and had swollen up like a balloon from the stings. Her body had ached and remained puffed up for days and this felt very similar.

The filly reached the house and climbed the stairs, seeking the bathroom. She had to see what was going on with her body. She used her hoof to flip on the lights as she stumbled into the restroom, her head swimming suddenly, nearly causing the young mare to fall. She righted herself and lifted her front legs to rest on the sink, looking deeply into the mirror that rested behind it.

She gasped in terror, mistaking her reflection for the image of a zombie-pony from one of Apple Bloom's favorite movies. The realization that this was not some monster created to terrify young foals, but her own reflection caused her to cry. With tears pouring from her good eye she took a closer look at herself.

Her left eye was black and swelled shut, rich purplish veins standing out across the dark brown and black of the pooled blood just under the surface of her skin. Her lip was split nearly a full inch from her bottom lip towards her chin, congealed blood glistening black against her bloodstained coat. Her muzzle was intact, but both nostrils had drained blood and the evidence stained most of the bottom half of her face a dark red color. Both of her cheeks were swollen and discolored, throbbing mightily, sending painful waves surging back through her bones and into her neck. Her one open eye dribbled tears and she began to sob, slipping down to the floor and curling up into a small ball, sobbing from the piercing throes of anguish and reflection.

Sweetie was concussed and her thoughts were disconnected and floating freely in her head. It was as if a thick wool blanket wrapped around her brain and suffocated her thoughts. She lay in the floor for nearly an hour, the cool tile soothing the hot aching of her wounded face. Slowly she began to place herself and the memories slipped out from the fog of her mind. After a time, her memories returned and her heart turned to ice.

Scootaloo… that brutish bitch.

Sweetie had gone to make peace between them and found her upset. The unicorn had tried to ease the pegasus' forlorn emotions but met with hostility. Losing her temper, Sweetie had made one comment too many and Scootaloo had assaulted her. The memories of being held to the ground and thrashed by the orange pegasus jumped from the hazed regions of Sweetie's mind and her body filled with hate.

Adrenalin coursed her tiny body and the veil of confusion lifted from her aching mind, allowing the whole scene to play in pristine definition through the lens of memory. Sweetie wanted to do more than beat Scootaloo up for this. She wanted to see her lifeless corpse spread out on the ground, a feast for buzzards. Tears of unmitigated rage dripped from the unicorn's eyes, stinging her scraped cheeks fiercely, but she didn't care. She wanted to injure Scootaloo. She wanted to make her regret every blow she had landed. She wanted to see her hopes and dreams crushed underhoof. Sweetie wanted revenge.

The white unicorn filly stood and looked into the mirror again, her poor face. She studied it, taking in every knot or bruise. She despised the pegasus now. She wanted to see her bruised and bloody, just like her. She wanted to find a heavy blunt object and catch the pegasus asleep. She would wake her up with several hard blows to those wings of hers. That would teach her. If her wings were jagged and broken bones pierced through the flesh she would regret taking advantage of Sweetie. The problem was Scootaloo was much stronger and she had already proven twice that in a fight she would emerge victorious. Even Sweetie's magic hadn't been enough to keep Scoots from using her size and strength to the advantage. How could she return the favor? What could she do?

Sweetie Belle needed rest and the adrenalin was wearing off, pain gradually returning to her damaged body. She would figure it out, but first she would sleep. Maybe the swelling would be down in the morning, her mind was still hazy and she would need to think clearly in order to divine a fitting punishment for that pegasus.

"But, you have to believe me Twilight! You're in danger here! We need to get out while we still can!"

Spike had relayed his story about what he had found in the shed to Twilight. The unicorn had doubted him and so Spike had led her to the shed in question, peculiarly finding it unguarded. The dragon led her to the door and braced himself, swinging it wide open to reveal several barrels marked as insecticide. Not only was there no bloody chair in the center of the building, there was no bloody anything! The whole structure was free of all traces of the gore that Spike had discovered the night before. Twilight had given him a look that was not only disappointed but also irritated. She had angrily demanded that they have a talk about his attitude.

Spike and Twilight stood in the apple cellar of Sweet Apple Acres, a chill biting their hides as they stood inside of the dank room. Twilight had wanted to exit the shed before somepony caught them snooping where they had been warned not to tread. The farmhouse was empty in the late morning and Twilight knew that the cellar would be safe and she could speak her irritated mind to the dragon in private. "I've had enough of this, Spike! I'm tired of listening to your crazy theories about Applejack and the other ponies of this farm. Have you listened to yourself? You sound insane."

Spike sighed and looked to the concrete floor before looking up at Twilight, an inner fire igniting inside the dragon. Spike only wanted what was best for his friend and companion. He had never steered her wrong before and suddenly she had stopped taking his opinion as valuable. His eye narrowed slightly. "I saw it, Twilight! Those barrels weren't there last night. Somepony cleaned up all the blood since last night!" A thought occurred to him. If somepony had cleaned that bloody room, they had done so after he had visited it. Maybe they had just found the lock melted, but maybe they had seen him go in. Goosebumps sprouted across the dragon's body as that thought sank in. "We have to get out of here, Twilight. We have to tell the Princess!"

Twilight sighed, rubbing her temples with her forelegs. She was getting tired of Spike's conspiracy theories. She wished he would just stop trying to drag her away from Ponyville. She knew he was frightened of the town, so was she, but making up wild stories about Applejack being a murderer was going too far. She had to put an end to this now. She sighed with a deep annoyance, "No. Just stop. I'm not leaving and these wild accusations aren't going to pull me away. If you are so afraid, then go. Go back home to Canterlot!"

The unicorn's words had been seething with irritation and devoid of friendship. They were full of disdain and ripe with a toleration pushed to the limit. These words did not belong to the Twilight Sparkle he knew. This place was taking a toll on her, he had suspected that she hadn't gotten over their rough arrival into Ponyville and this clenched it. Twilight's happy nature was waning to the aura of despair and depravity of Ponyville. He worried for his friend, but the unicorn struck his feelings and it hurt.

Spike was genuinely hurting. The words stung his heart and brought tears to his eyes. He had known Twilight his entire life. She had hatched him and he saw her as his sister, being too young to be his mother figure. It was as if she had just slapped him across the face and abandoned him. For a moment, her didn't know how to react and just stood, eyes brimming with tears, until part of him rebelled against the mare. He had always only held her best interest at heart and had built her up to the idea of finding the magic of friendship. The hope that the lonely mare would make friends, true, lasting friends prompted the dragon to usher the unicorn along this path. He regretted it now. Twilight was too ambitious. She didn't want to make friends for friendship's sake. She wanted to use that bond to show off her intelligence and promote herself to Princess Celestia.

Spike had always known that Twilight suffered from some degree of narcissism mixed with the great fear of inferiority. Twi had always felt she had to produce better than any other pony and display her natural intelligence and talented magical nature, but this was getting to be too much. Her fear of failure was blinding her to her closest friend and advisor. Spike was always there to prod the mare along unfamiliar terrain and tell her when an idea was losing touch with the goal in mind. This time wouldn't be like the others. There wouldn't be a somewhat humorous spell failure or admixture mishap that left the lavender mare an ugly shade of green for a couple of days. This time her hard head and narcissistic ignorance would lead her to an early grave. Spike didn't want to leave the mare but he was hurting and angry from her constant rejections and refusals of his reasoning. With contempt in his heart, he bit back his tears and angrily began to retort. "Fine! I will! You are sick of me? I'm only trying to help you, Twilight. That's all I have ever done! If you won't listen to me, I'm going to leave! I'm trying to help you, if you'd just stop acting so superior for once!"

Twilight couldn't believe her ears and she felt her coat bristle at the slight insult, which was the best Spike could do. "I am superior, Spike! I'm going to show you, the other ponies in class, and the Princess that I am the best! Just leave! I don't need you!" Her heart ached as she spoke those words but she was riled and defensive. At that moment, she just wanted the dragon to leave, to let her be alone. She had too much work to do to listen to this.

Spike opened his mouth the dispute the mare but found a stone in his throat, his hoped dashed and his heart heavy. He just wanted to be alone. He wouldn't let her see him cry though. He tensed his little dragon body and straightened up, facing the mare with the last of his ire. "FINE! I'm leaving tonight! Just after dark! If you stop being so egocentric I'll wait for you on the far side of the field surrounded by the stream. I can't stay here any longer. If you are smart you'll come with me."

With those words, the dragon turned and walked away, quickly running up the stairs and into the bedroom he was currently using. Tears flowed down his purple scales and he hated the unicorn he loved at that moment. He just wanted to be alone, finding the solace a comfort. He would leave tonight. Hopefully Twilight would value his opinion and come with him. He had to hold out hope that she would see his fear for her safety and make the right decision. He had to believe that the real Twilight would come back to him.

Sweetie Belle lay on the bed she shared with Apple Bloom and that despicable Scootaloo. She had crawled into bed after discovering the extent of the wounds she had taken at the hooves of Scootaloo, wanting to drown her pain with sleep and hoped to wake up feeling better. She had not.

The swollen faced filly had awoken when Apple Bloom stirred to a morning of aching. She had quickly covered her injured face before Apple Bloom could catch a glimpse of the black eye or swollen cheeks. There was no need to trouble her best friends with her problems. Sweetie had not heard Scootaloo and assumed she had slept with Rainbow Dash in the cellar, which had become a custom lately. She had faked sick and talked through the pillow, imploring Apple Bloom to get a head start on the day and Sweetie would join her when she felt a little better. Apple Bloom was trusting and sweet and had wished her a speedy recovery, offering to get her some oatmeal before she headed out to check on her apple trees. Sweetie declined and lay still, holding the pillow against her head to "block the sun" until Apple Bloom had left the room.

Sweetie sighed and touched her face with her hooves gingerly once she was alone. The swelling had gone down some but her face still felt puffy and her nose bellowed with pain when she grimaced. Her lip similarly ached, a thick split marring her lower lip and her eye was still unable to open. She felt a tear drip from her injured eye. She hadn't felt so weak in a long time, her mind bringing back images of Scootaloo holding her down and delivering blow after blow to her prone form. It wasn't as if she hadn't deserved it. She had tried to fight the pegasus, to hurt her with that heavy rock she had magically swung so viciously. She just hadn't planned on the fight. She had gone to Scoots wanting to resolve their issues but had ended up in a serious fight when things turned sour. She knew she wasn't innocent; she would have hurt Scootaloo if she could have. If she had connected with that rock, Scootaloo would be waking up hurting this morning. Despite the situation, she loathed the pegasus. It didn't matter to her that they were both willing participants in the fight. She wanted revenge for her beating, for the weakness she felt. If nothing else, Sweetie would make sure that Scoot woke up hurting soon.

She thought about how she would get her revenge for a while, watching the sunrise in the distance. She couldn't risk another fight with the pegasus. She would have to resort to deception, trickery, or ambush. She needed to know more about Scootaloo's daily habits, weaknesses, and fears. It would be hard since Scoot spent so much time with…Rainbow… That was it.

She could plant a spell that would allow her to listen in on the private conversations Scoot shared with Rainbow. Since they shared a bed now Sweetie surmised her best chance of catching the pegasus unaware would be in her bed. Sweetie snuck downstairs and planted a spell inside the Apple Cellar. The spell was designed to let her listen in on conversations within the range of the spell as if she were in the same room. Scootaloo wouldn't suspect this since nopony ever came to see Rainbow Dash but her.

Sweetie Belle had been listening intently for the voices of the pegasi for hours when voices clambered into her mind from her planted spell. She had hoped to spy upon the pegasi and had been surprised to hear a pair of other known voices. Sweetie's spying spell was broadcasting an argument between Twilight and Spike directly into the bruised filly's mind.

For a moment, Sweetie debated cancelling the spell and re-enacting it when her mentor and her assistant moved to a new location, but that would require making the trip back down into the cellar and she was still terribly achy and sore. Her body almost seemed more painful now than it did the night before when she dragged herself into the farmhouse. She didn't want to travel back into the cellar to cast the spell again but she didn't want to eavesdrop on her teacher either. It wasn't a nice thing to do. She was in the middle of banishing the spell when she heard Spike mention a bloody shed.

She sat frozen, her mind raced as the implications of this event played in her mind. If what Spike said was true, and she was certain it was, it could spell a number of sinister situations for the Apples. If Spike went to Celestia, the alicorn could send a force of the Royal Guard to investigate and put an end to Applejack's operations. Applejack and everypony involved would be taken and jailed, banished, or possibly executed for the many crimes that went on daily on the farm.

Sweetie would probably be sent back to Rarity because of her age but that just meant living without the protection of the Apples. The street gangs would fight for control and many ponies would be hurt. She couldn't go back to the fear and helplessness that was her life before the Apples. Her involvement kept Rarity and her safe. Without Applejack's support, Rarity's shop would have surely been targeted and unspeakable acts of dominance and cruelty performed on them. Sweetie shuddered at the thought.

She couldn't go back to that life of fear. She listened to the argument, breathing deeply as panic set into her heart. She waited and listened as closely as she could, picking up every detail and nuance of the conversation. She pushed her thoughts away for the moment, just drinking into the emotions of the words echoing in her mind. She waited until she heard the dragon not only leave the cellar but the clip clop of Twilight's hooves getting farther away as well.

Sweetie's breathing became rapid as she let her focus falter, her body panicking for a moment, mind burning through possibilities. She calmed herself, trying to think rationally about the situation. Twilight did not seem to believe what Spike was telling her. Twi had said she was going to stay. Only Spike sounded as though he would leave, which could still spell disaster if he went back to Canterlot with stories of what he had witnessed. Sweetie had to stop this. She had to keep Spike from going back to Canterlot. She had to tell Applejack, she would know how to handle this situation. AJ was a master of handling situations.

Sweetie Belle hopped from the soft bed and rushed to the door, peeking out to make sure it the hall was empty before moving along, searching for the pony who kept her safe. AJ needed to know about this.

Applejack had more pressing problems than Rainbow Dash. In fact, she wished the multicolored mare would just shut up and leave her alone. The mare had come into her office just as she was finishing the clean up debriefing with JackSlap and making sure that Twilight discovered nothing was more important to her than anything Rainbow Dash needed wished to discuss.

She saw the smirk JackSlap gave her as he made room for Dash to enter the room, he had, after all, discovered them in that moment…the one AJ was trying hard to forget. It kept coming back to her, haunting her dreams, and seeing Rainbow caused some of those feelings to dredge back from the ground from which she had buried them. AJ steeled herself, putting her barriers in place against the mare who stirred those emotions. "What d'yall want, Rainbow? There's some mighty big problems goin' on an' Ah need ta think on'em. Ah ain't got the time fer ya, right now." She sounded cold and dismissive, hopefully that would send the pegasus away.

Rainbow didn't even shirk at the tone of AJ's voice. She had heard much worse, felt much worse, in the past. She wanted to change AJ, to bring her back from the depths of her despair. Rainbow wanted to see her friend restored to the good and kindly pony she once knew, but the way would be treacherous and she felt her best hope was to make herself available again. She had to prove that she was fit enough for the business of advising, as she had once done. If she could prove herself she just may be able to convince the cow-mare that her current line of business would lead only to disaster. The danger was over, they could use the bits already made to relocate or repair the soil. Hell, they could import whole new trees and start over as the farmers they once were, but she needed to get Applejack's ear and to do that she needed to prove her worth again. "Applejack, let me help."

AJ paused for a moment, her eyebrow cocking upward in a questioning way as she bore her eyes through the multicolor mare. "Yeah, if'n ah need somepony to use a whole mess of drugs Ah'll call ya, Dash. Y'ain't no count. Not like ya used ta be."

The determination of Dash doubled and she furrowed her brow, gaining an air of serious composure and she brought forth a glare of resentment and long subdued irritation set free. "I'm serious, Applejack. I used to be your right hoof. I want to be again. I'm better now. I don't use sweets anymore and I don't plan to. You're having problems that I can help solve. I want to be part of the family again. I want to be with you."

Applejack's nearly dead heart thumped and a miniscule blush graced her cheeks. AJ's walls were cracking somewhat. Damn Rainbow. She always made her resolve weaken. Her mind filled with images. Rainbow Dash standing with her, the strength of the mare matching her tenacity. It had been a very long time since AJ had witnessed those qualities in her friend. A small grin attempted to break her grimace. What else did she say? 'I want to be with you'. The tiny smile spread as AJ's mind wrapped around those words and her heart and loins suddenly warmed. AJ wanted to be with her too. The moment they shared came back to her mind, warming her insides with the heat of the summer sun. She had dreamed again after their tender moment. Rainbow walked with her, their bodies so close they could feel each other's heat. She had leaned over and pressed her lips…

No…not now. She couldn't think of that or she would fold again. AJ's eyes fell to RD's lips and felt herself quiver at the thought of them. She growled and the barriers attempted to mend. She needed to get Dash out of her office soon. She couldn't be alone with the blue mare and keep those images from her mind. She weakly objected, "Ah don't need yer help Rainbow Dash. You'll just…"

"Yes, you do!" Rainbow interjected to the deny and pressed harder, "Your business is suffering and Golden Harvest's gang is getting stronger. How long before they can make a move on us? How long before the ponies you love start getting hurt? I can help you, Applejack. Please let me help!" Her voice was strong and rigid. Her expression of concentration and concern as she plead her case.

The multicolored mare was standing with purpose and , for a moment, her weakened frame strengthened and Applejack could see Rainbow, once again in her prime, and not asking, but telling her she was going to make things right. AJ wanted things to be right. She was stressed badly; another war was brewing, which meant more of her family losing their lives in order to continue the survival of the farm. The sacrifice had already occurred once when they fought the Cloud Kicker Gang and won, but so many of AJ's family had been lost in that costly campaign. The cow-mare didn't want to lose any more. Her mind was pulling apart individual courses of action but only one seemed likely to bring about an end to the rise of power of the Trotters and leave the Apples largely unharmed. They had to find the source or many would die.

The orange earth pony's stress ate at her and the tough routine began to fall apart. Applejack's shoulders sagged and she looked to her friend, suddenly naked of her armor. The eyes so cold and dark, peering and frightening faded to worry and fret, trembling slightly as they filled with water. She wasn't sure where her strength had gone, but she felt it leave her. Everything was hitting her all at once, her heart grew heavy and fear crept through the folds of her mind, devouring the beams that supported her bravado.

All of the worries, fears, and stress weighed upon what remained of her soul and for a moment Applejack found herself again; alone, frightened, and desperate. The orange mare tried to shake the feeling from her body but could not. She merely glimpsed up to her pegasus companion and felt a tear roll down her cheek, leaving a warm trail of bitter need in its wake. Even monsters were susceptible to the discord of Ponyville. Her eyes lit on her oldest friend and she barely contained the urge to reach out to her.

Applejack didn't have to reach for Dash, the multicolored mare's heart broke at the sudden and shocking  
state that Applejack devolved into. Rainbow gently stepped to her friend, wrapping her neck with her forelegs and hugging her tightly. She sighed and felt the quivering muscles of Aj as the mare returned the embrace. Rainbow closed her eyes and placed her lips next to the upset pony. "It's alright, AJ. What's wrong?" The country pony surprised her. Not once had she ever witnessed Applejack fall to such a state. She must be burdened with a great amount of problems to fall so hard so quickly.

"Dash… we gotta stop'em. Y'all remember the last time. Ah don't want ta bury anymore of mah family. They're all Ah've got. Ah've done it all for'em, to keep'em safe. Ah can't lose the farm, but Ah'm plum horrified the only way ta save it will be ta take the fight to the Trotters if we can't find their supplier. We're runnin' outta time. They're not gonna play nice forever. They'll make a move fer dominance soon. Ah can't let'em take over, Dash. Ah can't!" The poor Applejack sobbed out, decorating the bony neck of her oldest friend with warm tears, heaving her lungs by the racking sobs. AJ could not speak to Mac or anypony else this way, weakness was not tolerated. Strength was the key to controlling the fear of the gangs. If she lost her composure and word got out she would be perceived as an easier target and such a label at this moment in the struggle for power could have devastating repercussions. In her moment of weakness, she tightened her grip on Dash, taking solace and comfort in the warm body of her friend. The world was killing her, breaking her down. Sometimes even those in power needed a release. Dash was her release and she took in every detail of the pegasus' soft touch.

"We will stop them, AJ. Sheesh, you and me together? Who can stand up to that?" Dash nuzzled into the country pony's mane, taking in her sweet scent. Hay, Apples, and sweat all mingled in Applejack's natural odor. It was sweet and tangy and filled Dash's nostrils. Dash's heart picked up its rhythm from the delicious fragrance, exciting her loins and bringing a flow of desire and satisfaction. The muscled body of the farm pony ignited Dash's soul and stirred her emotions up. This was what Dash's purpose was: to be there for the Apple mare. Her rock, her friend, her lover.

Dash nuzzled Applejack softly until the cow-mare's sobs passed away, their embrace still shared. Dash's heart was full and the intimacy filled her mind, rectifying her doubts and bathing her in the love that billowed from within. She was lost to the moment and gingerly brought her lips to the neck of the orange mare, kissing softly the tight muscles. She didn't know what to expect from Applejack after the moment they shared before; it had been like heaven. Dash knew the possible reactions AJ could have but was too lost in the moment, bringing her lips to meet the nape of her neck again, experiencing the sweet taste of AJ's body.

Dash felt Applejack stir beneath her, realizing she had gone to far she drew her lips back from the Apple mare's coat, her cheeks blushing and her eyes embarrassed. "AJ, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" However, her apology was cut short by Applejack's mouth connecting with her own and pressing deeply, her soft tongue finding its mate inside of Rainbow's lips. Surprise took Dash but she didn't fight it and happily returned the passionate kiss.

The moment went unbroken, the mares enjoyed one another's taste, and love, their forelegs wrapped around each other's body drawing passionate energy from one another as the love hidden for so long went unabashed and undisturbed. Applejack finally pulled herself from Dash long enough to awkwardly and with a hint of embarrassment exclaim, "Ah need you, Rainbow Dash. Ah've always needed ya. You're the apple of mah eye."

Rainbow's heart felt as if it would explode and her cheeks filled with a deep blush. Her dreams were becoming real and a tear rolled down her reddened cheek. "Applejack…," she just couldn't put to words all of the happiness that overwhelmed her and her eyes spilled another pair of tears. Her voice had been robbed and so she brought her lips to AJ's again, savoring the dance of their tongues. Her body would have to explain the love she had for Applejack.

The mares brought all of their hidden desires and passion out. They lovingly explored one another and for a brief moment in the black sea of troubles found refuge within one another's hooves. Undisturbed the pair shared more than their bodies with one another; they shared their hearts and souls. Intertwined among the perpetual blackness, the pair found peace and happiness, if only for an instant.

Applejack sat underneath the large Family tree in the orchard in deep confusion. She brought her troubled eyes up to the names carved into that tree over generations of her family. She saw the names of all of her relatives. She traced her ancestry up the tree and then back down, her eyes falling upon the scratched out name of her cousin Apple Twist. Her name was barely legible through the cuts that marred it, erased it from the Family tree.

Apple Twist had admitted her homosexuality to the Family and she had been cast out, banned from the Family and summarily thrown away for her deviant behavior. AJ still remembered the day she had been proscribed from the Family.

AJ was a filly nearing adolescence and heard the muffled argument through the sturdy door of what would one day be her office. Her ears flicked to the thick tone of her father's voice angrily arguing with what sounded to be her uncle, Sour, and aunt, Brown Betty. She had rarely heard her father sound so agitated and wanted to help ease the problem. She tried not to eavesdrop but curiosity was getting the better of her. She couldn't make out anything being said, however, and nearly jumped out of her skin when the door swung open to reveal her father, glaring angrily back at her uncle and aunt. "Y'all go get'er right now. This family don't put up with such disgustin' things. Bring her to the yard immediately!"

He hadn't noticed Applejack right away and nearly fell over the filly when he came stomping out of the office. His hooves crossed as he suddenly realized his daughter was only inches from him. "AJ! Watch out, girl." A look crossed his troubled features and he glared down at the orange filly. "Y'all be eavesdroppin'?"

Applejack knew that eavesdropping was rude and she nearly stuttered an excuse but it just wasn't in her, back then, to lie. She cast her eyes down to the floor and admitted, "Yes, Daddy. Ah was just wantin' ta make ya feel better. Ah don't like when yer so riled."

Her father looked over his shoulder to her aunt and uncle again, fixing them with a mean glare. "Y'all go get Apple Twist and her friend and meet us out in the yard." Sour Apple and Brown Betty passed by the pair with their eyes to the floor, something was definitely wrong. Once they had left the upstairs of the farmhouse her father began his descent of the stairs leading to the main floor of the building. "Let's go, AJ. Everypony is gonna see this."

Applejack followed her father to the yard of Sweet Apple Acres where he rang the dinner bell repeatedly. He was calling a meeting of the family and ponies began collecting from all across the different areas of the farm. It took several minutes but finally the entire family had gathered in a large circle around the dinner bell. Her father looked around at the gathering and nodded.

"Today, family, we are brought an instrument of evil in the form of one of our own. Temptation and deviancy has found its way into our family." Many gasps from the crowd and hushed whispers began but the stallion continued his speech. "Wholesome and Strong is the family way. We are not the corrupt of the cities, nor do we want their taint and soiled values of our own. We cannot and do not harbor the evils of the world here in our family, am Ah right?" The crowd agreed in a confused cacophony. "Homosexuality is a sin. It is brought from the soulless, unscrupulous ponies of the cities in their disgusting deviancy, am Ah right?"  
Once again, the crowd agreed but this time with more fervor. The corruption of the city folk was always a topic of discussion for the family.

Applejack looked up at her father and wondered what it was he was talking about, the filly did not understand what he meant by 'homosexuality' and just looked around the group, finding her older brother Macintosh heartily agreeing with the crowd with his typical 'eeyup'. AJ's tiny brow furrowed and she waited for the group to quiten before asking, "Daddy, what's homo…umm… homo sexulty?" The word was strange to her and she mispronounced it, gaining the attention of her father who grinned and used her question to fuel his fire.

"Ya see family? My daughter, Applejack, is unknown to the corruption of the world. Our way is the way of decency and respectability an' now Ah'll have ta explain the sickness that one of our own has committed. Same sex relationships are a blight to the face of Equestria and ruins all it touches. Our cousin, Apple Twist has been found in the throes of passion with another mare!" The gathering gasped in awe and disgust. Several murmurs and words Applejack had never heard before rippled through the crowd. Words that sounded bad, as if referring to a criminal. Words such as 'gay, lesbimare, and faggot' meandered through the gathering. "Please come to the center Apple Twist."

Apple Twist was a green mare with a red mane and she looked around in embarrassment and shame as the crowd parted for her. AJ could see her aunt and uncle moving towards the front of the group and another pony, a unicorn mare of yellow coat and purple mane that always seemed to be near Twist. They must have been good friends, since they were almost always together, Applejack thought. She watched Apple Twist take the center of the group and heard more sinister hissings of those words.

"Apple Twist, y'all were found with another mare in an act of sexual deviancy. Such an act is disgusting and vile. Do you deny it, "Applejack's father questioned the young mare with a hint of loathing in his voice.

Apple Twist brought her head up, her embarrassment pushed aside by irritation. "No. Ah don't deny Ah was with Jumping Bean. Ah love her, but Ah do deny that it was disgusting or vile. Ah love her and she loves me!" the green Apple mare fixed her stare on Applejack's father and then looked harshly at the gathering of her family. "Ah LOVE her!"

"I…I love you too, Twisty," the yellow unicorn responded as she moved to the center of the circle as well, coming to the side of her lover and mate. It must have been hard for her because she could barely keep her head held up.

"Filthy perverts," the leader of the Apples continued. "The family offers ya one salvation Twist. Renounce your deviancy and never again see this vile thing that has corrupted your mind… or else." His words seethed and dripped of offense and he glowered upon the pair of young mares with an expression of disgust.

'Ah will not. Ah love her," Apple Twist retorted to the cry of anguish and loss of her mother. "Ah don't care what you do to me, but Ah will not leave Jumping Bean. She means the world to me. She accepts me for who Ah am and loves me back. My life is with her."

"Then your life is not with wholesome ponies. Leave now, banished forever from Sweet Apple Acres and the family." He watched as Twist looked around at the group, her eyes pouring tears as she looked upon her family accusingly. She only received nasty sounding words and looks of contempt. The pair began walking, the gathering opening for them as they made their way to the exit of the farm. As they crossed the threshold AJ's father continued, "Homosexuality and deviant lifestyles are unnatural. Let her name be stricken from the Family Tree and forever forgotten."

Applejack watched her cousin walk away from the farm forever. She had never seen Apple Twist again and the fear of being alone settled upon her. How could somepony survive without their family supporting them, loving them. To the young filly it seemed a fate worse than death.

Sitting under the Family Tree and observing the erased name brought many questions to Applejack. She had committed the same deviancy as Apple Twist. If Big Mac and the others found out would her name be stricken from the tree? Would she be cast out into the hostile world alone? Well, she wouldn't be alone. Rainbow would come with her, she was certain, but what would happen to the family? To Applebloom? The orange mare couldn't think of being without her family. They were her life, her reason for being. She had given so much to keep them safe. If she were to be rejected from them she was certain she would die. She needed them to survive.

AJ leaned back against the trunk f the tree, feeling it's bark scratching at her coat as she closed her eyes and thought about what to do. She and Dash had made love and it had been wonderful. AJ hadn't felt so at peace in years. It was a welcomed distraction from her troubles, but it brought more problems of its own. What would she do? How did she feel about it?

They had made love and fallen asleep in each other's embrace on the floor of her office. She had woken up first and had been confronted with confusion clouding her mind. They hadn't spoken to each other afterwards, the act had worn them both out and AJ left Dash sleeping, needing to be alone to analyze what had happened. It had been everything she had ever wanted, a culmination of her dreams and hidden emotions. She had enjoyed each touch and kiss they had given one another but she was certain it had been wrong. She was a deviant, a sick corruption to her family. How could she lead them while letting them down so?

It was Dash's fault. That slut had pushed herself on her and taken advantage of the moment to get what she wanted. Dash had used her for her pleasures and reduced her to a disgusting homosexual. Her defensive walls were trying to restore themselves, the thoughts found their way into her mind. Blaming the whole accident, because that's what it was an accident, on Rainbow Dash. AJ didn't really want to be a lesbimare. It was all of the stress and that opportunist Dash taking advantage of her. She would have to pay. She would have to be taught a lesson about it. Dash had raped her. That's what it was… Applejack sighed softly and put her head in her hooves. That wasn't what had happened and she knew it. She had wanted it to happen just as much as Rainbow Dash. Dash… what about her? Applejack had never suspected RD of being a lesbimare. What if she had lured Dash into this? What if Dash hated her because of it?

Applejack looked up at the sky through the branches of the trees, letting the sunlight speckle her face. Nopony could know what happened. She would have to keep it quiet, which meant discussing it with Dash and making sure she kept her mouth shut. If the family found out, she would be a laughing stock and probably banished and then she wouldn't be able to help her family. Mac would take over and he would be too headstrong and get many ponies killed.

It was settled. Applejack would keep what had happened a secret and convince Rainbow to do the same. She would take Dash back as her right hoof and keep her close. That could work. She could keep an eye on Dash that way. In more ways than one. she grinned to herself. If it was a secret then they could do it again. Nopony would question her valued advisor being at her side all the time. it could work. It really could work.

"Applejack!" A high pitched voice broke at its crescendo and jolted Applejack's thoughts back to the present. She almost started but caught herself, fixing her eyes on the mess that was Sweetie Belle's face. AJ gasped and grimaced at the filly.

"Sweetie! What happened to you? Who did this to you? Did you get beaten up in town, is Twilight okay?" AJ surmised that Sweetie had followed Twilight into town on a trip to visit Rarity and been beaten up, she worried for her friend. If somepony harmed Twilight they would die, no matter who it was.

Sweetie Belle turned her bruised face to the ground and sadly looked away. 'No… I'm... I'm okay. It's nothing you need to worry about, Applejack." Sweetie knew she was beaten up pretty badly but seeing another pony react to her hideously damaged face filled her with embarrassment for her failure … and hate. She didn't want Applejack to punish Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle would punish that orange bitch. She would make the pegasus pay.

"Are you sure Sweetie," Applejack asked as she put her softer side away. She had to be hard and tough again. Something was wrong and she would deal with it. Somepony would get hurt if need be.

Sweetie noted through her one eye that Applejack had seemed pleasant for a moment, as if she were happy, but suddenly the business pony was back. Her body language was iron and the scowl that replaced the momentary empathy frightened the unicorn filly. She stuttered as she began to speak. 'Sp…Spike found the torture room and told Twilight!"

"Buck…did she tell you that?"

"No, I used my magic and heard their conversation. She didn't believe him and they got into an argument. She told him he could leave if he wanted because she was tired of him trying to make her go back to Canterlot. She is really trying to help Ponyville, Applejack. She doesn't want to leave. We can't let her leave." Sweetie's lips hurt when she spoke and her body ached from the search to find the cow-mare. It had taken her hours to find AJ and it was late evening. She had tried her office but only found Rainbow Dash asleep inside. She had wanted to kick the blue mare for training Scootaloo. In a way it was Rainbow's fault that the orange pegasus had gained enough confidence to fight her without fear of repercussions.

"She ain't goin' nowhere, Sweetie. So tell me everythin' ya heard. I need to know it." Applejack listened closely to every detail as the wounded filly explained what she had heard. This was bad. Spike needed to be kept quiet. If he left and talked to Celestia about what he had seen… things could get bad on the farm. He had witnessed too much, the only positive aspect was that Twilight, according to Sweetie, did not believe him. AJ knew that having JackSlap clean the discipline shed was smart. It had bought them time. Spike would have to be dealt with, but how? An idea crossed her mind and she grinned. It might work, just maybe.

After a moment, she smirked at the unicorn. "Why did you have a spell like that in Rainbow's room?"

Sweetie made a grimace and gently rubbed her swollen eye. She thought for a moment about not telling Applejack the truth, the pain had caused her to slip out that she had been listening in on Rainbow's room. She decided against it and doubled her efforts to get control of her aching body so she would divulge no more information accidentally. 'Cause…cause Scootaloo beat me up."

Applejack loved Sweetie's magical ailities and had gotten many reports from Twilight on her abilities; especially the uncanny power to duplicate images of nearly anypony is exact detail. A plan was coming together but Sweetie might need to be pushed into her role. Applejack grinned as Sweetie told her who had hurt her. "Too bad, I really thought you would be the one to be Applebloom's right hoof. I guess Scootaloo is tougher though. Oh well, I guess you can still learn dressmaking, Sweetie," Applejack mused, setting Sweetie's hopes on herself. AJ knew the filly was afraid of Ponyville and wanted to become strong with the Apples. Sweetie had potential, a lot of potential, and AJ had enjoyed the rivalry between the two fillies. She could now use it against the unicorn.

"What? No, Applejack. Please, I'm better than she is. She just got lucky." Sweetie's fears bit her from beyond and she fought to stay in AJ's good graces. "She doesn't even want to be here anymore! She told me! Please don't send me back to Ponyville."

"What? Why? You failed didn't you? Scootaloo is obviously a stronger candidate." Applejack's business side was completely back and the thrill of using Sweetie's fears against her thrilled her. Maybe after this mess was cleared up she could get some more "advice" from Dash.

"She's stupid. She's just a bruiser. She might be good as an enforcer but she's too stupid to make intelligent decisions. Please, you have to see that," Sweetie pleaded her case to Applejack, the threat of being cut off from the protection of the Apples and her future jeopardized was too much for the injured young filly.

"And yet you were not smart enough to keep from getting beaten up. What should I think? Do you have any other talents, Sweetie?"

Sweetie felt her future slipping away and it terrified her. She would end up a corpse on the streets, victim to the mob, just like her parents, if not worse. She knew what happened to some fillies. She had heard the stories about the pimps who kept fillies for purchase. "Magic! Twilight is teaching me to use magic as well as her. My magic will be strong one day, even Twilight thinks so!"

"Hmph. I see your point, Sweetie. Twilight speaks very highly of your skills. Maybe you will be useful later on." Applejack baited the young filly.

"Thank you, Applejack. I promise I won't disappoint you. I want to help Applebloom be…"

"But you have to pass a test for me, Sweetie."

The filly looked confused and the stress that began to drain from her tiny form began to swell again. "Oh….ok. what kind of test?"

"I have a job for you. If you do it I will forget about what happened with Scootaloo and guarantee you a position with the Apples." AJ saw a light of hope in Sweetie's eyes. The filly could guarantee her position. It was such good bait for the frightened unicorn.

"You promise? I can really be part of The Family?" Sweetie was willing to do anything for that. She could make sure Rarity and herself were safe for life. She hadn't expected to be given a chance so soon, but whatever this job was it must be important.

"Ah promise. Now, all y'all have ta do is…" The bright sunlight had given way to the orange of evening and soon the sun would be down. Applejack's plan could go into motion if she hurried.

Spike waited in the field on the far side of the farm. It was the same field Rainbow and Scootaloo used to practice and was surrounded on three sides by a snaking stream. The dragon had watched the sun go down and waited impatiently for Twilight. He hoped she had come to her senses and decided to go with him back home to Canterlot, to give up the lost cause of Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres. Spike knew what he had seen and knew they had to get out of Ponyville while they could. He was dumb-founded by Twilight's disbelief in his story and more than a little hurt, but he cared for her and wanted her to be safe.

The dragon watched the moonrise and looked around the field hoping to see the lavender unicorn. She was his closest friend. She had hatched him and in some ways he felt as if she were his mother, but he also felt that he was far more mature than she was at times. Twilight's view of the world was clouded by her ego. She sacrificed a lot to placate her position to the Princess to the point it was unhealthy for her. Her inability to relate to real world events and ponies had gotten her into trouble in the past and was getting her into something on the farm from which she could never escape. Spike wondered if the Princess could help.

The dragon's plan was to inform Princess Celestia of what he had seen on the farm and in the town. She was the ruler of Equestria and surely she had the best means of dealing with the problems and crimes of an individual town far better than Twilight did. If Twilight did not show up he would rush to the castle and beg the Princess for help. Celestia was a goodly ruler and would do anything for her subjects; certainly, she would help Twilight out of this situation and talk some sense into her. Twi would be upset with Spike but at least she would be alive. That was the dragon's greatest fear, that Twilight Sparkle would be killed in Ponyville. They had already dodged the bullet once and this new situation would be far harder to dodge. Applejack was potentially a cannon and cannon balls were harder to dodge than bullets.

The moon rose higher and little by little the hope that Spike had began to wane. Twilight had forsaken his warnings. He had not believed that she was serious when she told him to go back home alone. They had been together every day since he was born and after an hour past his time of departure came and went, he finally submitted that Twilight was not coming to join him.

His small heart ached and he felt as if he was a failure and only two inches tall. He could not convince his closest friend of the danger of her well-being. He knew deep down that it was more of a pride problem with twilight. She always had to be the best student. She was convinced that she could save Ponyville with the magic of friendship. He supposed he could not blame her for her issues. She was a loner except for him, but he really thought he meant more to her than this. They were best friends and partners for life. A deep sigh escaped the dragon and he pitied Twilight, always subjected to her own inadequacy issues. Being the best was causing her problems. Spike stood and turned towards the dead trees on the far side of the field. It was going to be a long walk but once he was on his way it shouldn't take more than a day to follow the road up the mountain to Canterlot. He could still save his friend, but by going through higher powers. Powers Twilight really respected, not him. He took a few steps towards the tree line and sighed.

"Spike! Wait spike, I'm coming!" The voice was unmistakably Twilight. The unicorn appeared at the edge of the woods closest to the farm.

Spike grinned and waved to his friend, all the bad thoughts flushing from his body. She loved him. She did respect his advice and had come to escape with him. "Twilight!" He ran on stubby dragon legs towards his friend.

Twilight smiled and as the dragon came closer to her called out, "I have proof Spike! Help me with it so we can show the Princess." The lavender mare turned and ran back into the woods, leading the dragon towards a group of trees forming a circle, their huge dead husks darkening part of the forest to an almost inky blackness.

Spike rushed to catch up with his friend, his stubby legs pumping wildly as he chased Twilight. "Wait up, Twilight."

The unicorn stopped at the edge of the almost palpable blackness in the forest, looking back to the purple dragon. "It's in here, Spike. Princess Celestia has to see this." She stepped inside the darkness just as Spike closed in on her.

Spike stopped at the edge and attempted to peer inside the collection of dead trees but the darkness was almost magically black. He looked up into the sky and saw that the moon had hidden behind some clouds, that would explain why it was so much darker inside this grove of trees than the others of the forest. "I'm coming in, Twi. What is it?"

The dragon stepped into the darkness. He stumbled on roots and fallen limbs that he couldn't see, his sight robbed by the inky black. He kept his claws out in front of him as a precaution to the void-like dark. "Twi? I can't see you. Where did you go?"

"Over here. Keep coming." Her voiced floated from in front of him, with an almost ghost-like echo wisping from it.

Spike stepped cautiously towards the voice. He felt uncomfortable inside this tree grove. The air was cold and stale as if the wind never blew into the thicket but just simply passed around it. The silence of the grove was troubling. He didn't even here Twilight's movements, but she was just out in front of him. He had heard her voice so clearly. "I can't see anything, Twilight. Are you there?"

"Yes, just a little further. Come on."

Spike was getting uncomfortable in this place, chill-bumps broke out on his scales and a thick feeling of dread enveloped his mind. He didn't know what he was afraid of but something was definitely wrong with this place.

The voice came from right next to the dragon causing him to jump. "This is the place Spike. This is where the proof I found is. Can you get it?"

"Sure. Use your light spell so I can see what it is I am getting." The dragon's voice quivered, he had not expected Twilight to be so close, her movements were so quiet he hadn't heard her walking at all.

Suddenly a strange masculine voice answered. 'You're getting bucked!" Spike started to scream but something heavy connected with the back of his head, knocking him nearly unconscious, the sound was like splintering wood.

Spike lay on the cold floor of the forest dimly aware that the back of his head hurt. His brain couldn't process the information correctly but he was on his stomach and somepony must have been pouring warm water down his back because he could feel the liquid running in rivulets along his head and upper back. He tried to flip over but found his limbs were unresponsive.

Light suddenly flooded the thicket from Sweetie Belle's horn, revealing JackSlap with a crowbar, the sharp end coated with blood nearly three inches from the tip and Spike's body laying facedown on the forest floor with a nasty wound in the back of his head. The hole was deep and pouring thick red blood down Spike's still form. Worse yet was the tiny pieces of skull that had fragmented and stuck from the dragon's busted open head, some grayish matter hanging from the vicious wound.

"Wait! What are you doing here JackSlap? Oh my, you've killed him!" Sweetie Belle who had been projecting the image and voice of Twilight with her magic cried out, surprised by the sudden appearance of the green earth pony. She was shocked and her heart beat fast in her chest.

"Taking care of loose ends, Sootie Bowl, just like the boss wanted." JackSlap lifted his crowbar in his mouth and straddled the dragon's body.

"Twilight…it's so cold." The dragon mumbled out, lost in whatever vision his dying mind was making.

Sweetie Belle screamed as JackSlap brought the crowbar down again with a sickening thud, making Spike's body jerk and his fingers and toes twitch erratically. 'NO! Applejack said to bring him here so we could talk! She never said anything about this! STOP! PLEASE STOP!"

"Shut up, Sootie. Go home. Your job's done," JackSlap growled at the filly and raised the crowbar up again, crashing it down into Spike's head again.

A disturbing thumping sound could be heard as Sweetie ran back towards the farmhouse. She was supposed to lure Spike with images of Twilight into the thicket where the night would hide Sweetie Belle and she could use her duplicate image and auditory spells to convince Spike not to return to Canterlot, even using a small charm spell she had learned to suggest Spike stay on the farm. JackSlap wasn't supposed to be there. He wasn't supposed to kill the dragon! Sweetie ran as fast as she could, her stomach turning loops, forcing her to stop and vomit. Tears streamed from her good eye and she made whimpering sounds. She had lured Spike to his death! JackSlap had killed him! SHE had killed him!

From the thicket, a loud cracking sound erupted with the cruel laughter of JackSlap celebrating. "That got it to pop!"


	15. Sundered Hope

Segment 2: Chapter 7

A week had passed since Spike had departed for Canterlot and Twilight found herself missing the dragon. Twilight sat alone in her room, a book of notes open on the bed in front of her, its pages disregarded by the mare as she gazed out of the bedroom window, full of thoughts, memories, and sorrow. Twilight had fully expected Spike to return; he had been angry with her before and had always come back to her side. He was her best friend and she had always been able to depend on him. If he had just listened to her …

Twi knew that the dragon was afraid; she was, too. They had been nearly killed on their way to Hoofington by the drug-addicted gangbangers of this town once and venturing into Ponyville still brought an uncomfortable cold in the pit of her stomach. Despite the risks, she had a job to do and this town offered the most benefit for success. She could use the lesson of friendship to brighten the whole town all at once, returning it to the way it had once been and how the rest of Equestria was. The unicorn had been studying arduously and could directly connect a magic influence to the happiness of some of the ponies she had met.

While Twilight did not have enough knowledge to attempt a spell proportionally large enough to affect a pony, she did have some root ideas on how to go about dispensing the magical nature of positive emotional connections to others. Most of her ideas were mere theories and, as of yet, unproven, but the mare was confident that with more time she could realistically discern enough magical elements to purge feelings of dislike, distrust, and disdain from the hearts and minds of ponies. It would still require much study and several tests, but the fundamentals were sound and rational. If only Spike could have controlled his fears until she had been able to perfect her spell … Now she was alone and even though she had many friends in Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres, the mare was lonely and missing her companion.

She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling with troubled eyes. She almost cried as she thought about her dragon friend. Twilight had not been without him for years and she felt as if she had let him down. Twi felt ashamed for losing her temper and angrily telling him to go back to Canterlot alone. A sigh escaped her mouth as she remembered some of the good times they had spent together. Indeed, most of the good times of her life had been spent with the dragon. The lavender mare was a shut-in and the only socialization she enjoyed was that with Princess Celestia, which was more business oriented, and her dragon assistant.

Together the pair had visited sites of historical importance, traversed the vast libraries of Canterlot, and done scholastic battle against those who threatened her place as "favored student." Spike's ability to categorize and maintain organization had given the student a defined edge over other unicorns. Yes, Spike had been a very effective assistant. He was a good friend and companion to the mare and her heart sank without his well-meaning advice. The pleasant nature of his voice and his chiding reminders had kept her organized and moving forward. She supposed he couldn't be blamed for returning home, though. He was a baby dragon and Ponyville was not safe. Twilight had a difficult time in thinking ill of her friend for his decision. She simply wished she had gone out to try to convince him once more to stay by her side.

Twilight Sparkle's studies had gotten the best of her, however. She had been annoyed after their conversation the day he had left and she had been unable to forgive him at the time. She had whole-heartedly believed he would return to her, but, as the day gave way to night, the dragon had not returned. Anger replaced annoyance and the unicorn had deliberately stuck her head into her books, trying to understand several principles of magic of schools with which she was less familiar. It was her way of getting back at him. She would leave him to walk to Canterlot alone.

For the larger portion of the week, Twilight's grudge against the dragon had kept her nose buried in books. She had even forgone much of the magical training with Sweetie Belle, which turned out to be of little importance. Apparently, Sweetie Belle had fallen into nest of yellow jackets and their diabolical stings had left the poor filly swollen and bruised. Her appearance had surprised and appalled Twilight. Sweetie had been in no condition for training and so Twilight had simply devoted much of her time to her books. It seemed to twilight that Sweetie had been avoiding her since Spike disappeared, but she simply chocked it up to embarrassment in the condition of her appearance. Sweetie had not been spending time with anypony, as far as Twilight could tell. She had noticed Applebloom and Scootaloo playing together without the white unicorn's presence. She was healing; she would return to magic training and playing when she felt up to it.

Twilight had gone into Ponyville to find Pinkie and Fluttershy, but the pair had gone to Canterlot on business. If she had caught them beforehoof, she could have asked them to check in on her dragon companion. She would ask them the next time she caught them home. She was happy their business was taking off, but they spent several nights out of town a week and Twilight rarely found them at home.

Rarity had been disheartened by Spike's return to Canterlot as well, but had told Twilight she could not blame him. Ponyville was a dangerous place and most definitely not a place for a sweet baby dragon. There were ponies who would take advantage of him. Twilight had returned to Sweet Apple Acres after the visit with Rarity and become depressed. The only other pony she had talked to was Applejack.

AJ had seemed much happier lately. Apparently, Rainbow was back in working condition and was working closely with Applejack. The pair had spent much of their time together in the last week. Indeed, it was hard to find a time when the two were not together. Twilight had told AJ that Spike had left for personal reasons, not wanting to offend Applejack with the wild stories Spike had told her. She still was irritated over those lies. If he had just admitted he was afraid and not tried to create such a crazy story about her friend, Twi would not have been so angry with him.

Twilight sighed again, releasing as much of her frustration as possible out with it. She couldn't just lie around and feel sorry for herself. She had important business to take care of. Ponyville needed her help and throwing herself a pity party would not further that cause. In fact, without Spike, she would need to strengthen her efforts to make up for his absence. She would see him again once the assignment was over and he would apologize and tell her how he wished he could have been there when her friendship spell saved the town. The lavender mare smiled to herself at the thought of Spike admitting his error. She loved the little guy, but he could be so stubborn and fearful. He would regret going back to Canterlot when she perfected her friendship spell. His name wouldn't be added to this particular chapter of her life's work.

Twilight brushed her mane back and sat up in bed, magically levitating her notebook before her as she began working on the connections between ponies and the emotional value of private bonds between friends.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash lay intertwined with one another in the dimly lit bedroom, blankets kicked away and left in heaps about the floor from the lovemaking the night before. The large comfortable bed semi-stripped of the sheets from trembling or kicking hooves during moments of ecstasy. The two mares pressed their lips together as their eyes opened to meet the new day.

"Applejack, I have wanted to taste your lips since the first time I met you. I have always thought you were gorgeous. I never knew you were a lesbimare like me. I wish I would have made a move earlier," Rainbow Dash said, grinning happily to her long time friend and newly acquired mate. Her reddish purple eyes met the emerald green of her lover and saw hesitation and discomfort in them. She felt a twinge of nervousness hit her stomach and asked, "What's wrong, AJ?"

Applejack sighed and removed herself from the blue pegasus, suddenly preferring not to be touched by the mare. She had enjoyed the night before and the loving kisses just moments ago, but that word, lesbimare, made her stomach fill with butterflies and brought back the memory of her cousin's banishment. The country mare was not comfortable thinking of herself as a lesbimare, a deviant, even if that was her sexual preference. She felt as if she were letting the whole family down and that, if they ever discovered her sick acts, she would have to leave the family out of shame if not from exile by the others. "Ah don't like that word, Dash. It's a word for describing nasty degenerates."

Dash chuckled to herself and put her foreleg around the warm body of her lover, gingerly planting another kiss against the back of her neck. "What word? Lesbimare?"

Applejack pushed Dash's leg away and sat up in bed dismissively, "Yeah, that word. Ah ain't a lesbimare. Ah ain't some kinda freak."

"Could have fooled me, sweetie. I may not have been with a lot of mares, but you use your tongue far better than …"

"Shut up, Dash," the blonde-maned earth pony turned a harsh eye to the pegasus. "Ah don't think we should keep doin' this. If the family knew about it, Ah'd have ta leave. Ah don't want ta be this way." AJ's expression turned to one of confused sorrow.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and sat up on one hoof, looking over at her friend. "That's what you said the last time and the time before that. Why would they care who you sleep with and why would you have to leave?"

"Rainbow, it's wrong! Mares shouldn't sleep with mares. It's deviant. It's sick and disgustin'! What's wrong with me? Why cain't Ah quit you?" The cow-mare put her head in her hooves, rubbing her temples and trying to organize the battling thoughts in her head.

"It's been going on for decades, AJ. We're not any different than any other couple. Stallion and mare, mare and mare, or stallion and stallion. It's just about what and who you like. I like you and you like me. There's nothing wrong with that." The pegasus moved to her friend and lover again, wrapping her legs and wings around the orange earth pony, laying her head with AJ's in a loving display.

Applejack made a soft noise of approval and sighed deeply. "Nopony can find out, Dash. Ah cain't let down my family. If'n ya can keep quiet about this, we can keep seein' each other." Applejack wanted to keep seeing Dash. She had not told her yet, but she loved the cyan mare. Her heart locked those words away inside, frightened to let them be heard. AJ had been battling her desires for Dash against the opinion of the family since they had made love that first time a week ago. The battle tipped back and forth constantly and brought more stress to the worried mare. When she was alone, AJ's mind was a beehive of thoughts. She was stung constantly by those thoughts. Her only comfort came when Dash was near her.

"I'd like to be open about it, AJ, but I'm okay with it for now."

Applejack found comfort in the multicolored mare, but found that comfort as another worry in itself. She wished she could just stop being attracted to the pegasus, but it had proven to be a pipe dream. She could no better control her desires for Dash than the sun in the sky. She sighed deeply and lay back with the cyan pegasus, enjoying another round of tongue kisses and warm embraces.

After a few minutes, the pair rested together once more and AJ spoke. "Ah sent Mac out to get a new Trotter for interview. My spy told us that Golden Harvest's hiding her supplier close. She meets whoever it is with only a minimum of security. One stallion, in fact. His name is T-Bone and Mac and JackSlap are gone to meet our spy, who has T-Bone's trust. She's luring T-Bone right to Big Macintosh and JackSlap. If she's tellin' us the truth we might be able to 'convince' T-bone to disclose the identity of their supplier. Things're finally lookin' up, Dash."

Dash still held out hope that she would be able to change Applejack's course. She had not brought it up yet, but broached the subject gently. "Do you remember what it used to be like, AJ? We were all friends and happy, everypony was."

AJ was a little confused by the change in subject, given that they might possibly find the identity of the drug supplier responsible for making the Trotters a soon-to-be powerful rival, but played along. "Ah sure do, Sugar Cube."

"Wouldn't you like to go back to that time? Give up the drugs and grow apples again?"

AJ remembered the honesty of the farm before the collapse and sighed. "Yeah, Dash. Sometimes Ah wish Ah could turn time back and be a farmer again."

Dash smiled happily and kissed AJ's forehead softly. She was glad that her mate still had a soul somewhere deep inside. She had known Applejack long enough to know that the mare would do whatever it took to keep her family safe, but that somewhere under all of the layers of protection she had piled upon herself to shield herself from the horrors she had committed, her friend still breathed. "Couldn't we just give up on the drugs and use the bits we have to plant new trees? We could even import grown trees and soil as well. We could be harvesting real apples again next year."

The thought was pleasant to Applejack and she entertained it for a moment before squashing it. "Nope. It would take nearly ever'thing we got and if it didn't work we'd lose everything."

Dash wasn't finished yet; she pushed the issue a little more. "But we could bring in fresh soil from other places, soil not corrupted by the chemicals of those twins. We could do it, sweetie. I want to see you like you used to be. Me and you, growing apples like old times."

Applejack chuckled and kissed her lover. "Ah wish we could, Sugar Cube. We still don't know the damage that stuff done. If that stuff is still in the soil and it mixed with the dirt we brought in it would kill all the trees again. It's a nice dream, Dash, but it's just a dream."

"AJ, it might work. Or maybe we could just move the farm?" Dash was still fighting for options other than drug making. She wanted to be with her old friend Applejack. The kind, caring, honest pony, not the violent monster she had become.

Applejack sighed with irritation and spoke with a growl to her voice, signifying this conversation as over. "Ah ain't about to chance everything on it. And the Apple Family has lived here for generations. Ah cain't abandon the land left to me from my great-great grandfather. This is home, Dash. Enough now. We got a busy day. If we get T-Bone Ah expect you ta be there, got it, advisor?"

Dash sighed with temporary defeat, looking at Applejack and nodding gently. "Gotcha, AJ." Secretly, she hoped that they would not catch the stallion. She wanted more time to try to bring AJ around to other options.

Applejack got out of bed and pulled her hat over her head, getting ready for the day. "Seeya later, Sugar Cube, but remember, nopony can know about us."

Dash rolled her eyes and sat up in bed. "What do you think is going to happen if they found out? I want everypony to know we're together." She was frustrated and argumentative now.

Applejack stood still for a moment and turned slowly, her expression all business, the looks of the monster she had become. "You just keep your mouth shut, Rainbow Dash."

The look in AJ's eyes sent a cold chill through Dash spine. AJ wasn't ready to be open about their relationship and it hurt, but that look was not her lover, it was what her lover had become. She had seen that look before when she was still addicted to Sweets. She had seen it before the abuse, before the punches and kicks that had broken her ribs and left her crying on the cellar floor. She had forgiven AJ for the pain she had caused because she loved her so much, but that look still scared her. Somehow, she managed to muster her courage. "Applejack, I'm not on Sweets anymore. If … if you hit me again, ever. If you … if you ever hit me again, I will leave. I won't say anything about us until you are ready, but you better not hurt me again. I can't forgive you for it anymore."

Applejack didn't like Dash's tone. She had hurt Dash in the past. She told herself it was to try to bring Rainbow out of her Sweets addiction, which was true. Each time had been a challenge to the sickly mare. Their friendship had been based off challenges from each other and she had hoped Rainbow would snap out of her stupor and fight back. She never had, but somehow had clawed her way back from the depths she had been trapped in. AJ was proud of her for that, but secretly she had enjoyed hitting the mare, causing her to bleed and seeing the bruises she had caused. Some sinister part of her enjoyed inflicting pain, a part of her awakened by the new life she had fashioned for herself. That part of her called to her from somewhere in tones hardly perceivable, but somehow whispering in her mind. Somewhere inside that monster existed. "Just keep yer mouth shut, Dash."

Scootaloo had waited all morning for Rainbow Dash to train her. It had been like this for a week and the orange pegasus filly was feeling shunned. Scoots sat among the sparse grass of the field the pegasi had been using for training feeling alone and annoyed. Her brow was furrowed and she kicked a small stone, listening to the skittering sound it made as it rolled awkwardly away. She had been cast out again. Her parents had abandoned her and now her role model, who she had aided in recovery from addiction, had orphaned her as well. Scoots felt as if she was meant to be trampled on by those she cared about. It was a recurring pattern in her life and she absently wondered how many times it would happen. Is this what her life was meant to be? Having heroes abandon her? The purple-maned filly released a sigh and a tear fell to the dusty ground, quickly gobbled up by the dirt.

Scoots had been ditched by her mentor for nearly a week, only seeing Rainbow occasionally and for brief periods of time. They had not trained once and had barely spoken more than a pleasant greeting to one another. Rainbow had explained that AJ had given her old job back to her and that she was trying to impress the country mare. She had apologized and promised to make time for Scootaloo, but promises were cheap when they were never realized. Rainbow hadn't even been sleeping in the cellar that they were sharing and Scootaloo curled up, alone, in the burlap sacks that was Dash's bed. She would breathe in Rainbow's scent and worry for her friend. She had cried herself to sleep the last two nights.

She wasn't coming again. Once again, Scootaloo would walk away from their training ground with her head down. The dreams that had so nearly come true smeared and dashed by the very pony she worshipped. Scootaloo's hooves made light sounds against the dirt as she dejectedly walked from the field, not really caring which direction she went, because they all led to misery.

"Scoots! Hey! I made it!"

Scootaloo's ears perked up and her head shot up, turning to see Rainbow Dash running to meet her. Her heart fluttered and a smile grew on her face. She turned and ran to meet her idol halfway, kicking up puffs of dust as she hurriedly scampered. Tears fell down her cheeks as she wrapped her hooves around Dash's neck, sobs breaking her voice as she spoke, "Dash … I ... I knew you … you wouldn't abandon me. I love you so … so much, Dash. I was so scared you didn't like me anymore."

Rainbow felt like a heel for ignoring the little filly for the past week. She wanted to make Applejack proud of her but she had completely written Scootaloo off to do it. It was selfish and rude to do such a thing to the young filly and Rainbow chided herself for it. Scootaloo had been the only pony who helped her in her time of need and now Dash was causing the filly to hurt. She sighed and hugged her friend, kissing her head softly. "Sorry, Squirt. I won't leave you hanging again. I promise, even if I'm busy I'll have time for you. It was wrong of me to forget you. I've just been so busy trying to impress Applejack. I'll always love you, Scootaloo. You are the most important pony in my life. If it wasn't for you I would still be sick."

"You promise, Rainbow?" Scootaloo asked, her voice quivering and muffled into Dash's breast

"I promise, Squirt." Rainbow pressed the filly tightly to her and kissed her forehead gently for several minutes, waiting for the filly to calm down and look up with bright eyes and a happy smile. She didn't have to wait long and returned the filly's sunny grin.

"I've kept training even though you were too busy to help. I did two hundred wing ups yesterday! I think I am almost ready," the filly excitedly announced, her eyes shimmering in hope and her voice rising with the moment.

"Oh yeah? I'm glad to hear that. My wings are almost grown back completely and I'd love to try them out again." Dash looked to the cloudless morning sky and nodded with satisfaction. "Yep, today is a good day to fly. Let's do it, kiddo."

Scootaloo hopped in eager anticipation. She had been waiting for their first real attempt at flying for months and she laughed happily. "We can do it, Dash! I know we can do it!"

"I think you are right, Scoots. Now, let's get at the far side of the field so we can get a good run and go." Dash led the eager filly to one side of the field and began explaining how they would attempt to fly today.

"Okay, run as fast as I can, open my wings and leap into the sky while turning my wings so the wind gets underneath and pushes me up. I think I can do it. I think we can do this, Rainbow!" Scootaloo had forgotten all the sadness from earlier and grinned with joy at her mentor and friend—the mare she thought of as a mother figure.

"Right, but make sure when you feel the wind start to push you up that you keep flapping your wings. Once you're up you'll have to flap them constantly to maintain your height." Dash gave her pointers and felt the excitement taking her heart as well. It had been years since she had been able to fly and she hoped to soar the skies again today, but she hoped beyond hope that Scootaloo would get off the ground. Seeing the young pegasus take to the sky would make her the happiest mare in the world. "Get ready."

The pegasi set their hooves to the ground and lowered their heads in the ready position.

"Three …"

The desire to fly swept Rainbow Dash and her still healing wings opened behind her, their state better than they had been in years, but still missing many primary feathers. If she got into the sky, it would be a hard won victory.

"Two …"

Scootaloo's heart beat rapidly in her chest. She wanted to make Rainbow proud of her. She wanted to fly with her idol into the boundless sky where the two of them could  
truly be together. The skies would be their home and nopony could take away the bond they shared.

"One …"

The pegasi trembled in anticipation and they sucked in a deep breath, preparing to make the attempt. Their hearts open, their friendship strong, and months of preparations eagerly waiting to be put to the test.

"GO!"

Dust flew from behind the hooves of the galloping pegasi as they broke for the other side of the field, gaining speed with each powerful step. The world pulled at them as they dashed forward, trying to keep them on the ground, trying to break them down and control them. Their manes stretched out behind them in the wind, the freedom of flight calling their names and beckoning them to the unbridled joy that was the liberation from the oppressive earth. Their wings were outstretched, catching the air as they picked up speed, nearing the midpoint of the field. Each of the mares gave a quick glance to the other, running neck and neck with one another, and all at once they leaped with all their might, feeling the wind take hold underneath their wings and propel them upward.

Scootaloo's breath caught in her chest as the ground suddenly pulled away from her hooves and she began flapping her wings quickly. She could feel the wind rushing by her face and through her mane, the world below growing small as she achieved that which she had dreamed for so long.

Flight. The filly was flying and she quickly made a turn as she climbed above the naked trunks of the trees of the dead forest. She laughed happily, filling the sky with an ecstasy it had not known for a long time. The young pegasus was an orange dart in the sky, her earthly bonds broken and the thrill of life filling her heart and soul. She reveled in the moment and looked around for her hero. Where was Rainbow? She must have flown straight up, probably preparing to execute a series of glorious feats of aerial aptitude in celebration of their big day. Scootaloo turned her head up to the open skies, but didn't see her idol. She looked around again and, upon not finding the multicolored mare, brought her eyes back towards the ground. Rainbow was looking up from the earth cheering and stomping her hooves. She had not been able to take to the heavens.

Rainbow Dash had leapt into the air and turned her wings to gain the lift required for take-off, but had met the ground roughly, flipping forward and rolling several yards before coming to a scuffed-up halt. At first, she sighed and the feelings of failure had began to creep into her emotions, but then she saw Scoots rising.

Dash's hearts nearly exploded with pride and joy as she witnessed the orange filly make a turn above the tree line. She quickly got to her hooves, her failure forgotten, and cheered loudly for her friend. She could see the filly's wings pounding rapidly at the air and the exhilaration spread from one to the other. Scootaloo's victory was Dash's victory and nothing else in the world mattered to her. She began stamping her hooves and calling out encouraging praises to the soaring orange pegasus. Rainbow was proud of her. She wanted to be with her up there in the sky, but that gave her something to work toward. Something to experience that would be unique to them. Dash nearly wept in joy for her student and friend as Scoots suddenly turned and began losing altitude. She was coming in for a landing, wanting to be with Dash. Dash wanted her to fly to her heart's content and not land because of her and began motioning to the filly to fly higher.

Scootaloo ignored the signs Rainbow was giving her, wanting to be close to her mentor. She was ecstatic that she had flown but she wanted to share the experience with Rainbow Dash. She realized a little too late that she wasn't exactly sure how to properly land and came down too hard. Her little legs kicked wildly to match the speed of her landing but she stumbled and fell on her face, the velocity causing her to flip end over end twice before crashing into Rainbow Dash, who had purposely leapt in front of the crashing filly, wrapping her in her forelegs and falling back to protect her.

They lay in a heap, a cloud of dust kicked up from the rough landing. They each began laughing and hugging on one another. They chuckled and embraced for a moment before getting to their hooves.

"You flew, Scoot! That was probably the most impressive first flight I have ever seen, even better than mine when I was a filly. Congratulations! I knew you could do it!" Rainbow was nothing but constructive with her praise. She didn't care about her own failure. This was Scootaloo's moment and the multihued mare was as proud as a pony could be.

"Yeah, but … you didn't make it, Dash." Scootaloo's voice tinged with sadness for her mentor, her joy at her own success marginalized by Dash's inability to lift from the ground.

"Don't worry about that. My wings still have to get back in order. I'll be fine in a month or two. This is about you, Squirt. You made me proud. You are a true pegasus now."

"But you …"

"Today is about you, Scootaloo. Don't worry about me. You have made me the happiest mare in the world and you should feel good about yourself. You made this happen."

Scootaloo smiled and hugged Dash again, kissing her cheek and nuzzling into her. "I love you, Rainbow Dash. Thank you for being with me … for caring about me. I … I needed somepony to be proud of me, to care about me." Her adolescent muzzle was warm and soft against Dash's neck as she pressed close to her hero, basking in the emotions that flooded her.

Dash cried quietly and held the filly to her. Scootaloo was the sweetest thing she had ever met. She never deserved to be an orphan. She didn't deserve to feel alone in this hateful world. What had happened to her parents was harsh and violent. Scoot didn't need to know the truth, not yet. Dash softly kissed the filly's head again. She felt motherly at that moment, as if Scootaloo was her daughter. It was a certainty that no parent could have felt happier for their offspring as Dash felt for Scootaloo at that moment. She held the filly for a long time, kissing her and telling her how wonderful she was. How proud she was to be her friend and that they would be together forever, until the sunset of their lives.

Sweetie was losing her mind. She could feel the guilt riding inside of her and screaming at her rationalizations of what she had been a part of. She had not slept for more than a couple of hours a night since she witnessed Spike's death and the deprivation was playing tricks on her. Her inner struggles to come to terms with her role in Spike's murder were becoming voices in her head. She had been privy to the tortures and deaths of ponies before, but this was different. She knew Spike and thought of him as a friend. If nothing else, he was Twilight's closest friend and Sweetie would never do anything to harm Twilight. And yet, she had lured Twi's best friend away with magic and gotten him brutally murdered at the hooves of JackSlap. The deaths of ponies she had not known kept her awake at night for days, but this was worse. Spike's death was a direct result of her actions. If Twilight ever found out, she would hate Sweetie. She would never forgive her and hate her forever.

In the sleep-deprived state in which Sweetie found herself, she could almost see the blood on her hooves. The filly looked at her forelegs and shivered, her mind's eye covering them in a thick crimson fluid. Horror ran through the cotton candy-maned filly and she shivered and shrank back in the chair of Applejack's office. She had been called in to discuss her actions to prevent Spike's departure and Applejack had been telling her of the good job she had done.

"Uh … Sweetie? Are y'all all right?" AJ asked the filly, thinking she was acting strange and distant, as if she were not in the same room, or planet, for that matter.

Sweetie suddenly looked up from her hooves, reality drawing her back to face the Apple mare who caused the problem to begin with. Sweetie felt a sudden wave of anger pass through her body and she bit back the words she wanted to say. Instead, she went with a more diplomatic approach. "You said I was going to use magic to convince him to come back to the farmhouse, Applejack. Why was JackSlap there? Why did we kill him?"

Applejack sighed with frustration and rocked back in her chair. "Sweetie. Do ya know what would happen if Princess Celestia found out what went on here?" She waited for a moment, but the question was rhetorical. "We'd all be thrown in prison or possibly executed. Spike knew too much and was gonna talk to the Princess. We have ta protect ourselves. We couldn't have let him go free. He knew too much. He would have brought the whole farm down. Ya would have been taken from Rarity and put in an orphanage somewhere, or worse. Ya might have ended up in a prison for fillies. They'd have given you black eyes every day. Yer a right smart filly, Sweetie Belle, but yer not very tough. Y'all don't wanna know what they would have done with ya there."

Sweetie listened to the orange mare, but found it hard to believe her. She had found a way to drive a wedge between Sweetie and her teacher, Twilight. How could Sweetie face Twilight now? How could she smile at her and learn her spells while knowing she had caused the death of her friend? "Twilight will never forgive me for this, Applejack. How can I still be her friend?"

Applejack stood from her chair and glared over the desk at the filly. "She ain't gonna find out, Sweetie. Ah'm workin' on a way to make Twilight part of the Family, but she never needs to know what happened ta Spike. As far as she knows, Spike is back in Canterlot, happy as a pig in slop."

"But … I killed him, AJ. He's dead because of me."

Applejack came around the desk and sat in the floor, coming eye to eye with Sweetie Belle. "Y'ain't been sleepin' much. Yer pretty messed up over this, ain't ya?"

Sweetie nodded slowly and looked into AJ's eyes. They were cold and hard. They had seen far more deaths than Sweetie's and had hardened to the dirty business of the farm. A thought ran through Sweetie's mind. Was she going to be that way? She nodded gingerly to Applejack's question.

Applejack stood up. "Ya did good, Sweetie. As Ah promised, yer part of the family now. We'll make sure yer safe for the rest of yer life. There's likely ta be more blood ta be shed in the future. Y'all have seen what we do ta ponies who cross us. Ya need ta get used to it. What you did was fer the good of all of us."

"I'm not a good pony anymore, Applejack. My parents would hate me for what I did …" Sweetie almost sobbed as she spoke, her eyes brimming with tears at the realization that she had let her parents down. She no longer needed to wonder if she was good or bad; she knew the answer. She felt the urge to see her flowers. Her flowers would calm her down and help her think. She would go to that hidden patch of land beside the twisting stream and look at her flowers. There she would be able to calm down and think clearly.

"Stop it, yer a very good pony. Ya'll protected us, Sweetie. Ya saved us all from prison and death at the hooves of a ruler who doesn't give a buck about our lives," Applejack rubbed a hoof through Sweetie's tangled mane. "Come on, Sweetie. Ah want to show you something."

Sweetie watched Applejack walk to the locked door behind her desk and she obediently followed, interest perking her attention. She had long wondered what was hidden behind that door. She knew it was something Applejack treasured, something she didn't let just anypony see. The unicorn filly's mind cleared a little. Maybe AJ was right. She had saved the farm and ensured Rarity's protection as well. She had also guaranteed her position within the family. She knew the work that would be required. She was being stupid about this. Spike was a serious threat and killing him was probably the best option. Sweetie's rational mind spoke soothing thoughts to her frazzled brain. She had to get over what had happened to Spike. She had aided in his demise, but also in the salvation of Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight didn't know what she had done and never needed to know. She could live with it. It needed to happen.

Applejack took out a key from her desk and unlocked the door with a sudden clacking noise. Pausing a moment to smirk down at the unicorn filly she pushed the door open revealing a room shrouded in darkness. Suddenly the lights came on in a blinding flash and Sweetie shut her good eye, waiting for a moment for it to adjust to the light.

"Open yer eye, Sweetie Belle. See what happens ta those who cross the Apple Family."

Sweetie opened her eye and gasped in terror from what she saw. The room was midsized and had once probably been a closet, but now it was used to store the trophies Applejack had won. She had always heard rumors of this room, but had doubted its existence, chocking it up to stories designed to inspire fear in those who might challenge the Apple Family. Sweetie was surrounded by several rows of shelves that held Applejack's trophies, reminders of those who had fought against the Apple Family, those who crossed them or made the look weak.

The removed faces of what must have been thirty ponies surrounded Sweetie Belle. Their colors had faded and many were stretched and reeked of chemicals to prevent rotting, stretched around the severed heads of ponnequins. The unicorn's heart caught in her chest and she looked back and forth at the room of visionless visages as they blindly stared accusingly into the filly.

For a moment, Sweetie could not breathe, her lungs refusing to cooperate with her body while her mind dealt with the psychotic scene. Then suddenly, the fear fell apart and a strange acceptance crept within the unicorn. These ponies weren't nice ponies. She could easily identify more than one. These were the street scum of Ponyville. Many of these ponies were exactly like the ones who murdered her parents for the bits in their pockets. This was why Sweetie had come to Sweet Apple Acres. She had come to fight back against the evil ponies who robbed and killed, the ones who raped and tortured others for the fun of it. They deserved this fate.

The unicorn filly slowly began to grin, the corners of her mouth widening as she looked from trophy to gruesome trophy. "They hurt others. They tried to hurt us, didn't they, Applejack?" Sweetie's voice was small and cold.

"Yes, Sweetie, they did. Some of the ponies in here killed mah family or tried to buck us and make us look helpless. We ain't helpless. Nopony bucks with us or they become another ornament on the wall."

The confusion and guilt inside of Sweetie's mind began to melt away. She didn't like Applejack for using her the way she had, but she respected the power the mare had, the ability to save herself and her family from the streets of Ponyville. If it meant giving up being a good pony to insure safety for her family and herself, Sweetie could do it. She felt a twinge of guilt still for taking Twilight's friend from her, but it was a necessity. She loved Twilight and would do whatever she could to protect her, but killing Spike had secured all of their futures. Now Twilight would remain with her and they could all live safely at Sweet Apple Acres.

A pair of ornaments caught Sweetie's eye. They were side by side on the highest shelf of the medium-sized room, looming down with familiar features. Features Sweetie had only seen a few times long ago, but every day since coming to live on the farm. "Is that …?"

"Yeah, it is. That's them. They double-crossed me, Sweetie Belle, and nopony double crosses the Apples and get away. Ironic, isn't it?" Applejack sounded as if she was happy with the irony of the situation, but suddenly changed the subject. "Ah got something for you to do, Sweetie. We'll call it yer acceptance into the Apple Family. Ah want you to place this one on the shelf."

Sweetie Belle turned to where Applejack pointed with her hoof. A towel with many stains that could only be dried blood covered what Sweetie knew to be another ponnequin head. She knew what was beneath it even before she pulled the towel away with her teeth. Underneath the cloth was indeed a ponnequin head, but with a familiar purple-scaled face, freshly cut, stretched across it. Sweetie Belle's stomach churned, but she fought the urge to vomit. She could do this. This was how she would save herself from the horrors of the streets. This was how she would ensure the safety of her family and Twilight.

Sweetie Belle lifted the ponnequin head in her hooves and placed it on the bottom shelf between the remains of a red mare and teal mare. She stepped back and nodded with satisfaction at her placement, a small smirk appearing across her lips. Yes, she was a bad pony now. She was an Apple. She had achieved her goal and from somewhere deep inside, she felt good about it. She grinned with vile satisfaction into the removed flesh that had once been worn on the front of Spike's head.

Big Macintosh and JackSlap had been successful on their attempt to kidnap the stallion their spy had told Applejack had been on location when Golden Harvest bought the little pink cakes called Pink Dreamz from their supplier. If the spymare was telling the truth, this big earth pony could lead the Apples to the identity of the pony who had developed the rival drug that had helped the Trotters threaten the Apple Family's dominant position in Ponyville.

Big Mac knew that this was their best chance and, even though it had been risky, had pulled off the snatch. The Spymare had lured T-Bone to her home on the outskirts of Trotter territory under the guise of sexual activity. When he arrived, however, he had found Big Macintosh and JackSlap waiting for him in the bedroom. The pair had quickly subdued and knocked the strong stallion out with chloroform. Mac had taken a pair of brutal strikes to the face would require a few stitches … if the big pony lived that long. Jackslap suffered a blow that had caused him to spit out a tooth. That was all right; they would get their turns on the stallion once Applejack arrived.

The two Apple enforcers waited impatiently in a building near the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres. It was nearly identical in design to the old disciplinary shed—a concrete structure with windowless walls and a steel door usually kept shut by a thick chain and lock. The pair took turns delivering painful kicks to the stomach of the Trotter bodyguard that hung from his forelegs from the ceiling, his back legs just a few inches from the floor of the building. He let out groans as he began to awaken from the chemical that had rendered him unconscious and transportable.

"What da buck? Your dumb-asses is gonna be sorry. I'll break your teeth out of your heads for dis! Golden is gonna floss wit' your guts, motherbuckers." The powerful earth pony, T-Bone, struggled to be free of his chains. He was of limited intelligence, but was very strong and able. He had been Golden Harvest's personal bodyguard for years.

Knowing that Mac was a stallion of few words, JackSlap moved toward the big pony and brought his trademark crowbar across and into the joint of T-Bone's knee, enjoying the thick grunt that came from the stallion. "Shut up. Your gang ain't shit compared to us and we're going to put an end to it shortly. Just keep your mouth shut long enough for Applejack to get here and then you'll be doing all the talking you can stomach."

"Buck you, worm. Untie me and let's find out if you can back up dem words."

JackSlap looked to Mac, who shook his head negatively, and scowled. The fun would starts soon, but not soon enough. The big stallion had a few more minutes before the pain began. "Hold still. You'll get what you deserve soon enough."

Before long, there was a sudden rap on the door and Big Mac opened it, evening light spilling into the dimly lit building as two mares stepped inside, surprising both of the enforcers. They had expected AJ, but not Rainbow Dash.

"Boss … do you think having her here is necessary? She ain't been functional in the business for years," JackSlap motioned to Dash and cocked his eyebrow questioningly.

"Eeyup." Big Mac evidently agreed with JackSlap's statement.

Applejack looked at Dash, smirking, and then at her two enforcers with a scowl. "Ah don't like bein' questioned about mah decisions. Rainbow Dash has been gettin' over her addiction and is ready ta take up her old place as mah advisor. Ah want her here because Ah think she'll be a strong asset to the Family and Ah don't want ta hear anymore about it. Got it?"

"Sorry, boss."

"Eeyup."

Applejack grinned to Rainbow Dash, who smirked back, and looked T-Bone over. "Good job getting' him here, fellas. Was there much trouble?"

"Nope," Big Mac answered easily and watched Rainbow Dash with a less than happy expression. He didn't trust the mare and never had, honestly. He would have preferred the rainbow bitch to overdose.

"Good. Now let's see what we got here." AJ moved up to T-Bone's hanging form, inspecting him closely. She smirked and felt a thrill run through her loins at the thought of adding another trophy to her collection, but this one had to divulge information first. That was okay, it just meant they could play with him longer.

"Buck you, bitch. Golden will eat your heart for breakfast soon. Y'aint shit no more. Best get ready to die," T-Bone glowered at the country mare. He knew what was going to happen. He wasn't dumb enough to think he would escape, but he wouldn't give these Apple punks the satisfaction of his fear. He would face his death like a stallion. He wouldn't betray Golden Harvest.

Rainbow Dash had never enjoyed these sessions and wished she could be excused, but wanted to prove to AJ that she was capable and ready to resume her old job. She steeled herself against the violence that was coming and leaned against a wall, ready to listen to any pertinent information that might come from the doomed stallion.

"Really?" Applejack asked and stood on her hind legs, getting face to face with the hanging stallion. "You are goin' ta tell me everything Ah want. If ya do Ah will kill ya, if not Ah will kill ya, but yer end will come after hours of torture. Ya might as well tell me now what Ah want to know. Who supplies Golden Harvest with the drugs?"

"Funny little elves. They come from space once a week …" T-Bone began, but was silenced by a hard blow from AJ's right foreleg. "Bitch. That all ya got?"

Applejack chuckled and dropped back to all fours and motioned to Mac. "Do it, Mac. Ah know ya want to."

Big Macintosh grinned and lifted a short, sharp blade into his mouth. He moved close to the defenseless stallion and looked up at him while running the blade from knee to inner thigh. The blade did not go deep, but painfully lacerated the flesh the entire length. The red stallion did not stop there, pushing the knife into T-Bone's abdomen just above his male organ and sharply yanking the razor edged tool down the middle of said organ. The most feared Apple enforcer split the organ T-Bone had expected to use on the pretty mare. His screams were music to the Apples' ears, except Dash.

Dash watched as Macintosh systematically removed the brown stallion's reproductive organs, letting them flop to the floor amidst the growing pool of blood, leaving a nasty hole where his junk used to hang. Dash knew this was part of the job, but she didn't like it. She maintained hope that she would be able to eventually talk AJ out of the drug business. Maybe she could leverage Applebloom against her. Did AJ really want her younger sister doing these things?

"So, now who makes the drugs, T-Bone?" Applejack asked, her voice soothing and soft. "Things are only gonna get worse, tell us now."

The stalwart stallion couldn't help but to scream when they dug into him, but he could still keep his pride and honor. "Buck you, Applejack. You cunt."

"JackSlap, pull his back hooves off with your crowbar." Applejack loved watching her enforcers work. Soon she would join them, it brought a burning desire inside of her, which was usually unquenchable … but now she had Dash with her and she would definitely require some "advising" after this.

JackSlap's sick laughter could be heard over the cries of the stallion as he worked the sharp end of his crowbar between the bones of his leg and yanked, twisted, and ripped until one hoof and then the other fell to the floor. JackSlap loved his work, a true sadist, he loved tearing ponies apart more than anything else in his life. He kicked the hoof that used to rest at the end of T-Bone's right leg across the room like it were some sort of sport, raising his forelegs and shouting, "It's good!"

The Apples all laughed at the corny joke and AJ moved before the bleeding pony. "What's the supplier's name, T-Bone? Save yourself any more pain. Just tell me."

T-Bone was adrift a sea of unbearable misery. His ship had sunk and he treaded water in torment unlike anything he had ever known. He was tempted but shook his head. "Eat … shit."

AJ turned to her brother and grinned happily. "Skinner, please. And get the salt ready, Mac."

After another quarter of an hour of throat-destroying agony, several long flaps of hide lay scattered about the cement floor. The pool of blood had grown, but not large enough to indicate death by blood loss. T-Bone still had several hours to go before that happened.

AJ looked with the satisfaction of an artist at what used to be the chest and stomach of the Trotter bodyguard. The hide-less muscles twitched and reflected the light off their pink under-tissue. Nearly all of his torso now was flayed open to the muscle. "Salt, Mac."

Big Mac stepped beside his sister with a block of salt. The block was cut in lines so that it would break apart easier when rubbed against something. Mac took great joy in roughly ripping the salt block back and forth over the stallion's exposed musculature, reveling in the screams and pleas for death.

Dash looked to her lover, reviled at the moment, and said, "He's ready, AJ. Just ask him."

"He had his chance, Dashie. Now he's going to beg to tell me. Do whatever you like, fellas. Just make sure he is alive enough to answer questions." Applejack came to stand with Rainbow Dash as her enforcers went to work with various tools on the pathetic stallion. AJ grinned into RD's face and moved close and whispered, "I'm going to buck you so hard when we get home."

Dash smiled at her lover, but had no urge to make love to the mare tonight. She was showing the side of her that Dash not only hated, but also feared. This was the part of AJ born from this type of business. This was not her AJ. This was the monster rejoicing in its blood feast.

Dash forced herself to watch, disgusted and wanting to leave, for hours as the Apples brought the stallion misery and anguish. He deserved better than that. He was strong and willful. They should have respected him more. He had been willing to talk long ago, but the three Apple Family members had not gorged themselves on enough torment to let the poor stallion break his honor and finally die. She wished she could just end it for him, but she was unable to help him.

Applejack stood back and gazed up at the remains of the bodyguard. He was missing many pieces and several techniques and tools had been used on his scarred and mangled body. Her fun had nearly ended and she wanted to go home and release the burning of her loins. She, once again, stood on her hind legs and placed her forelegs around the neck of the stallion, getting close to his face. "Who makes the drugs, T-Bone? Who does Harvest buy 'em from?"

"I don't know."

AJ slapped him hard with her hoof, but he had suffered so much at that point that being slapped meant little to him.

"Don't know … her name," the pathetic stallion weakly admitted.

"What does tha bitch look like?" Applejack was tired and wanted to go home. She would deal with the supplier tomorrow or the day after; she just wanted her name.

"Pink … had flat mane the first time … now she has it … all poofy. Like candy..." T-Bone struggled to speak. He craved the peace of death, but his mind was barely intact after all the torture he had endured.

"Pink? She's pink with poofy hair?" Applejack was not liking the sound of this. Somewhere inside she knew whom T-Bone was indicating, but a part of her did not want to believe it. She hoped there was some sort of mistake.

"Boss, it's Twilight's friend. You know the one. Used to bake cakes. Now she runs that party business with the yellow pegasus." JackSlap was not intelligent, but made the connection quickly. He saw those two far too often because of Twilight. He would enjoy carving those two up. Maybe he would even get to have some fun with the pink one. She had a nice rump.

"Shut up, JackSlap!" Applejack ordered and turned back to face T-Bone, a lump in her throat and disbelief thick in her mind. "What does her cutie mark look like?" It had to be some mistake; it had to be.

Dash was horrified. Could Pinkie really by the supplier? Their old friend making drugs and selling them to Golden Harvest? With Fluttershy's help, no less? This situation just got bad. What was going to happen? Surely, AJ wouldn't kill their friends. The thought of it was taboo; harming any of their old group seemed like an unimaginable thing. She held hope that T-Bone would say something else, something that would indicate some other pink pony. It just couldn't be Pinkie Pie!

"Balloons. Three of them. Please kill me. Please …" The last of his honor was gone and the shredded stallion begged for death.

Applejack's mouth hung open in disbelief. She had not expected Pinkie Pie to be the one making these drugs. She had catered Applebloom's party recently and they had all had a wonderful time. She had come, knowing full well what she was doing. It was like spitting into Applejack's face. On top of that, Fluttershy was in on it. Those two backstabbers lived together at Sugar Cube Corner. Party planning, her rump! They were making drugs and selling them to Golden Harvest. And Twilight visited them constantly! Was Twilight in on this as well? Her gut told her no, but it was hard to tell. Twi would have to do something to prove her loyalty now for sure. She would be bound to the Apples or she would have to die. AJ couldn't let this one slide. Troubled and deep in thought, AJ walked from the body of the begging stallion. "Kill him, Mac."

A moment later, the stallion was nothing but a corpse and the Apples stood together outside of the building to discuss their next move.

"Boss, what do you want us to do? We can head over there tonight and pay them two mares a visit. Buck them up real good. We can bring back their heads for you." JackSlap wanted to deal with them. He had been forced to go to that bucking shop so many times that he would take immense pleasure in creating corpses from those mares. Especially the over-talkative bouncy one. She was bucking annoying.

"No, Jack. Ah want ta be there fer this. Ah should be there fer this one, personally. Those traitors need ta be dealt with." Applejack wasn't sure if she wanted to kill them or not. She was extremely angry about this. Pinkie and Fluttershy had caused all of the stress she had been under for the last few months. They had given birth to the Trotters' newfound power. They deserved to die for what they had done. They were supposed to be her friends. How could they betray her like that?

Rainbow suddenly stepped in front of Applejack, her voice tinged with despair and disbelief. "AJ, you can't kill them. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy are our friends! Don't you remember how we used to be?"

"Of course Ah do! Ah don't know what ta do, Dash. They … Ah think they gotta die fer this. Ah cain't be made a fool of. It looks bad. We cain't let them get away with this." Applejack didn't really want to kill her old friends, but it needed to happen. If they were left alive, it would look bad for the Apples.

"Please don't kill them. Please. They are our friends. We can't do that to our friends," Rainbow pleaded with her lover. She could see the confusion and hurt in AJ's green eyes. She was hurt by this and so was Dash. There had to be a way out of this bad situation. "Come on, remember when I asked you if you thought we could go back to growing apples? This is the perfect opportunity for that. Let Golden Harvest have the bucking drugs. Let's get some new trees and soil brought in and start over! Please, Applejack."

Applejack looked irritated and scoffed at Dash's suggestion. Didn't she get it? They couldn't go back to farming apples. They had all changed too much. They were so different inside now that returning to the honest work of farming was unattainable. They had gone too far and couldn't back out now. "Dash, that shit  
ain't ever gonna happen. We have ta deal with this, now throw away that ridiculous idea and help me!"

Rainbow shook her head and brought her hooves up to her temples. "Why not, baby? Why can't we just go back to normal? We have the money now. We could do it. Please!" She let her pet name for her lover escape accidentally.

Big Mac and JackSlap looked at each other suddenly and then to Rainbow Dash. They had heard her call AJ "baby" and Big Mac eyed Applejack questioningly. JackSlap grinned knowingly and accusingly at his boss, having caught the pair kissing once before.

Applejack couldn't believe what Rainbow had called her. She hoped her brother hadn't caught it, but she didn't have time to deal with that right then. She had to explain to Dash that she couldn't farm apples again because she didn't deserve the honest life of her forefathers. She was different now and she knew it. She wouldn't be able to live such a simple life with all the things she had done. She could only deal with the horrors she had committed in this lifestyle. Besides, the chances of a full farm transplant taking root were slim. They would be in a bad condition if it should fail. "Rainbow, Ah cain't! It's too risky and Ah can't live that life again no matter how much Ah want to. It's dead. This is our lives now. Deal with it! We can NEVER go back!" Her voice cracked once as she almost begged Rainbow to drop the issue.

Rainbow started to cry. Applejack was admitting she was a monster. She was giving in to the darkness that had taken her. Dash hoped to kindle what was left of her friend and bring it out. She felt desperation taking hold. She had to make Applejack understand the seriousness of the situation. Dash couldn't be with AJ if she couldn't try to change. Seeing her this way was soul killing. Dash could only see suicide at the end of their current path and she had to try to save her lover from that fate. Lost in the moment and fearing for her lover's soul, she made a mistake. "Applejack, I LOVE YOU! I love you, baby, but I can't be with you like this. I can't watch you become this … this … beast that you …"

When AJ heard those words, she had to make a decision. Her heart had fluttered at the words "I love you, Applejack." It was the first time Dash had spoken them and it was something AJ had secretly wanted to hear for years. She was standing at a crossroads. If she accepted Rainbow Dash's offer, she might find herself on the road to redemption, a path hard and lonely. She would have to submit her ego and pride to attain Rainbow Dash, returning to a simpler life; but could she handle such a normal life now? AJ doubted herself and looked to the other trail before her. She could continue on this troubled road, the head of the Family, unchallenged and strong. She could continue to make and sell the drugs that infected Ponyville. AJ had to make a decision and she had to do it now.

Applejack's right hoof connected solidly with Dash's jaw, and a sickening crack could be heard as the jawbone broke. Had she really said that right in front of Big Macintosh and JackSlap? Had she really called her baby and admitted that she was in love with her? Was she insane? She had just told Dash to keep quiet about their relationship. She couldn't risk being exiled or bringing about the perception of weakness to the family, not right now. AJ had to pretend what Dash had said was foreign to her and that Dash was the weak pony, not her. She couldn't leave the Family; she just couldn't.

"What the buck is wrong with you, Dash?" Applejack brought her other hoof around quickly, connecting solidly with Rainbow's mouth. AJ saw her lover's tender lips split and begin to pour blood. Deep inside, underneath all the layers of protection, AJ's heart trembled. She could see the betrayal in Dash's beautiful eyes. Part of her wanted to embrace the mare and kiss her, to say, "The hell with it, Ah love you too, Dashie," but that was only a small part deep inside and the walls her father had constructed easily quieted it—the walls that imprisoned her true feelings. "Stupid dyke. If Ah'd known this about ya, Ah'd never have even said hello ta ya."

Big Mac watched happily as his little sister dealt with the rainbow mare. He smirked as AJ brought many sharp blows against the lesbimare. Mac had always suspected Rainbow Dash of being a closeted deviant. He chuckled happily as his sibling put the disgusting freak in her place. Applejack made him proud. She always was a capable pony and a natural leader. The enjoyment of watching her deal with the nasty blue pegasus was astounding.

"Ah don't want ta see ya around here anymore, Dash. Get yer things and leave. If yer still in my home tomorrow, Ah'll make this look like foreplay." Applejack kicked the ribs of the crumpled pegasus as she cried and rolled in the dirt. She had to keep appearances up; she wanted to keep their relationship secret and if Dash would have kept her mouth shut, probably could have. She wanted to run away, to be away from Dash. Somehow, she was able to maintain her vicious façade, but inside, she was shattering. She couldn't admit to the world her love for Rainbow Dash and so, when faced with the decision, she had maintained what the world expected of her. Beating Dash may have been excessive, but it was for the Family. Exile wasn't an option.

Applejack turned to her enforcers, both smirking and chuckling at what their boss had done to the lesbimare, and nodded, beginning the walk back to the farmhouse. AJ wanted to be alone, to think about how to handle Pinkie Pie, but also to try to find a way to keep Rainbow as a secret. She didn't want to be without her. She regretted what she had just done, but could think of no other way to deflect the accusations the multicolored mare had thrown at her. Staying strong was essential and Applejack had kept her status in the eyes of her Family, if losing much of her status with herself. She walked towards the homestead outwardly calm and stable, but inside a broken wreck of confusion and sorrow.

Rainbow Dash's body hurt, the burning of her wounds a reminder of the beast her lover had become over the years. The pegasus lifted her screaming head from the cold earth to see Applejack and her family walking away. Her jaw screamed from the abuse it had taken along with half a dozen other aching body parts. Tears dripped from her eyes to be dashed onto the ground beneath; her heart felt as if it had been ripped from her chest. This was who Applejack had become—a monster, a beast, and not the pony Dash had fallen in love with all those years ago. She would never change back now. She would be this creature forever. Dash's plan had failed and she could clearly see that remaining in this mockery of what her life had been would only make her miserable. It took all of the courage and strength Rainbow Dash had left to answer her dream gone to dirt, "I won't, AJ … You won't see me ever again."

Dash's body was mostly intact—it was nothing she hadn't survived before—and she compelled it to rise and limp slowly towards the farmhouse. She needed to rest and inform Scootaloo of her failure and their imminent departure. Her body ached, but her heart ached more. Sometimes life wasn't worth living. This black blight of her life would end tomorrow and something new would be born. If she were lucky someday, she would find the ability to smile again, the ability to laugh, but, for now, the world mocked her and threatened to crush what little Applejack had not.

Rainbow Dash had come home in a sorry state, once again physically abused by that bitch, Applejack. Scootaloo pressed herself up against her idol and cried for her, her wet tears mixing with Rainbow's blue coat. Scootaloo's big day was ruined by the appearance of her only friend. "I thought you two were friends again, Dash. Why would she hurt you like this? Why didn't you hit her back?"

Dash sighed, lying in her bed of burlap sacks and trying to be as still as possible to deter the singing pain of her body. She didn't know how to explain her reasons to the young filly. She didn't want to tell the whole story. "Applejack is hurting, Scootaloo. She's hurting because she knows she can never be like she used to be again. She beat me up, but she beats herself up every day. She's hurting far worse than me. I feel sorry for her, Squirt. She'll never get better." Rainbow moved slowly and nuzzled the orange filly gently, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I just wanted to make her feel better, Squirt. I thought I could, but I failed. I can't help her anymore."

Scootaloo took Dash's head in her hooves and kissed her forehead. Dash was too nice of a pony to be harmed like this. She was everything to Scootaloo and her pain was Scoots' pain. "I want to kill her for doing this to you. You just tried to help her."

"Shhh. Calm down. It's all right, Squirt. Tomorrow we are going to leave this place behind. It will be just you and me. We'll make a new life for ourselves somewhere else—somewhere nice, somewhere safe, and somewhere we won't have to see the ones we love die or become monsters," Rainbow cried again, her voice slow and soft. Tomorrow was another day, a new beginning for the pegasus pair. Tomorrow would be the start of a new life, a life free of the memories of Ponyville. "Go get your things ready, Scootaloo. I want to leave first thing in the morning. I … I need to be alone tonight. I have a lot to think about and I need to do it alone."

Scoot gave her mentor a worried look, but obediently began to untangle herself from the multicolored mare. She stopped momentarily, hugging Dash once more. "We'll take care of each other, Rainbow. You're the only one I need." Scootaloo stepped away, making her way to the door. She would only need a small bag for her few possessions. Tomorrow would be the best day of her life, the day she and Dash set out to find a life of their own away from the hell that Ponyville had become. She was closing the door behind her when she heard Dash call to her, sticking her head back into the cold cellar questioningly.

"I love you, Scootaloo. Get some rest and don't worry about me."

Scoots smiled softly and shut the door, slowly carrying herself upstairs and into the bedroom she shared with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. She closed the door behind her and climbed into bed, trying to not disturb the sleeping Applebloom and thankful that Sweetie wasn't present. She was probably off kissing Twilight's butt or nursing that nasty black eye Scoots had given her. She smiled at both scenarios.

She'd never have to see that little snot again. The thought of being with Rainbow Dash in another town, just the two of them, made her smile. Her life could begin anew tomorrow. Just one more night in this house and she could breathe easy and free with the only pony that cared about her. The pillow felt so cool against her cheek and she laid her head into it. She would miss Applebloom and regretted that she would, most likely, never see her again. She wasn't like her sister. She was a good Apple.

Sleep began to take the pegasus and she drifted off into the night with dreams of what lay before herself and Rainbow Dash. A future.

Rainbow had tossed and turned for hours after Scootaloo departed. Her eyes couldn't produce any more tears and she sobbed into the sacks upon which she lay. Her world had crumbled. She had achieved some degree of happiness for a moment, but once again, Ponyville had stolen it from her. She didn't want to appear this upset in front of Scootaloo and so she tried to get all of the emotions out tonight before they made their way to a new home tomorrow. She would make a stop in Ponyville before they left. Her last act in this Celestia forsaken town would be to warn Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy about what Applejack knew. Maybe she could convince them to flee and save their lives. Dash wasn't sure what AJ planned to do with them, but she couldn't leave without trying to save them.

The pain flared across her jaw line and she groaned. AJ had probably broken her jaw this time. That was okay; it would be the last time she let anypony abuse her like that. Applejack was a lost cause and she had no intention of ever letting herself be hit again. If only the pain would go away, she could sleep. She just wanted this night to be over, to let her new life begin. She sighed and closed her eyes to no avail.

After many restless minutes a knocking came to her door and she weakly called out. "Just leave me alone, please."

The sound of hoof on wood came again and Dash sighed in annoyance. "Come in." She waited for a moment, but the door remained shut and she let out a breath of agitation as she pushed herself to her hooves and limped to the door. She pulled the door open quickly. "What?"

The hallway was empty except for the sound of hooves clacking on the stairs that led back to the main floor of Sweet Apple Acres. Dash was confused and began to shut the door, but something caught her eye.

Lying on the floor was a baggie of powder. She knew the look of Sweets well and picked it up. She knew from experience that this amount would put her into another world and make her pain disappear. She quickly shut the door and took the bag back to her bedding.

She looked at the white powder and felt those old urges creeping into her mind. It wasn't a lot. It was enough to make her forget, enough to let her sleep. She hadn't done any Sweets in months, but the urges still lurked in the recesses of her mind. She had an idea that they would always be there, calling from the darkness to her. She pushed the baggie away with her hoof. She didn't need them.

No, she didn't need them, but they sure would make getting to sleep easier. It wasn't a large amount and she was certain she could do it and be done with the stuff again forever. Heck, they were leaving tomorrow anyway. She wouldn't be able to find them anywhere else. They could help her sleep tonight, bring her to tomorrow faster. They could help her forget Applejack and the pain she had endured for so long. One more time wouldn't make much of a difference. It would be all right.

Rainbow Dash slowly reached out and pulled the baggie back to her. She opened it and dumped the contents onto the floor. She formed several small lines with her hooves and brought her muzzle down, snorting quickly and feeling the burn rush through her sinus cavity. She coughed at first and then let the sensation take her over. This batch felt different somehow; the normal burn was more intense and, as it dripped down the back of her throat, there was a flavor she couldn't quite put her hoof on. It was as if it had been cut with something different than usual. Whatever it was, the pain seemed to fade almost immediately and her body drifted away.

Dash chided herself for a moment for snorting the powder after such a long time being sober, but this would be the last time she ever did drugs. There was no reason Scoot would ever need to know. She grinned to herself and leaned down to snort another line. She was impressed by the power of this stuff. It must have been a really long time, because she felt herself slipping away to unconsciousness even before she snorted the second line of Sweets. Dash lay her head down gently and closed her eyes, letting the drugs take her away from this place of pain. Everything would be better tomorrow. Her new life would begin and she might be able to find happiness with Scootaloo.

With these last thoughts for the future, Rainbow Dash's broken heart slowed and fell silent.


	16. Sweetie's Revenge

Segment 2 Chapter 8

Scootaloo had woken up earlier than she had in her entire life. She had already packed her small saddlebag of all her earthly possessions. It was easy she had so few. The young filly was eager to begin her new life with her hero and that life would start today! She gingerly crawled over the sleeping Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. She paused momentarily and smirked down at the black eye the white filly still wore. Sweetie would never trouble her again; it was like a new lease on life. It would be just her and Rainbow Dash forever. Sweetie would stay here and become some glorified goon for Applejack. She would probably have a violent death, or at least Scoots could hope.

She lingered for a moment above the filly and then eased out of the bed. Her saddlebag was carefully tucked behind the toy box. She tugged it free and quickly made her way into the hallway.

The pegasus didn't notice when Sweetie Belle's good eye opened and turned to regard her, a small smirk growing on the unicorn's face. _Goodbye, Scoot. It's about time._

Scoots walked on the tips of her hooves down to the main level of the farmhouse. She poked her head around corners and made sure the coast was clear before moving into a new hall. Despite the darkness, the filly wanted to be as careful as she could be. She didn't want to get caught, not that she really thought anypony would mind if she were to disappear. She made her way towards the stairs that led down to the cellar level. She hoped Dash was awake so they could get on the road as quickly as possible. The farm was a bad dream that she wanted to forget, the sooner the better.

Scoots played out in her mind what it would be like to live alone with Dash. They would wake up and Dash would fix her breakfast. They would eat and talk and laugh and then Dash would walk her to school. She hadn't been to school in a long time and, even though it had been tough for the filly, she had enjoyed it. Dash would train and become a weather pony and would head to work, making sure to be back to pick Scoots up from school. They would go home and Dash would teach her amazing tricks in the evenings. They would have dinner and then cuddle together and read stories until it was bedtime. It would be like those few memories she had of her parents—the good ones, when her mom and dad still loved her, before they abandoned her to Ponyville's streets. This would be different. Dash would love her forever and Scoots would love her back.

The filly was so deep in thought that she barely heard the stair near the top of the cellar stairway let out a moan. Scoots had always been careful of that step when she was stealing food for Dash, having long ago discovered it would betray her to whoever was nearby.

Quickly the pegasus ducked into a doorway that led into the kitchen. This entrance had no door and so she simply hopped into the room, dissolving into the blackness and standing as still as she could. Was it Dash coming to wake her up? It had to be! Nopony else went into the cellar.

She was about to step back into the hallway but something stopped her, some deep down fear. She held her breath and watched what had to be Applejack quietly slip by the doorframe. Scoots waited in confusion until the figure had enough time to clear the hallway. What was she doing in the cellar? Was she beating up Dash some more? Why did she have to be so mean to Rainbow? Hadn't she had her fill of violence towards Scoot's hero? Scootaloo breathed again and a cold chill ran through her. She needed to get downstairs and check on her only friend. She had to see what Applejack had done to her.

Scootaloo scampered out of the kitchen and down the steps, minding the squeaky one near the top, and down onto the concrete foundation of the cellar level. She could see Dash's light was on and she galloped the last few yards, turning the knob and opening the door, needing to see what AJ had done to Dash this time.

Shortly after Scootaloo entered, from the cellar came a soft crying and moaning. It was as if somepony's hopes had died. Full of pain, anguish, and unimaginable sorrow, the sobs and shrieks of loss were the death rattle of the young pegasus' dreams. Life was unfair and this was the worst torment it could have planned for the young filly. For a very long time, the pathetic sound would fill resonate through the cellar hallway.

Applejack had business to attend to. She had skipped breakfast and simply gone into her office to begin planning out the day. Pinkie Pie had to be dealt with and, once somepony discovered Rainbow, they would have to bury her … Applejack willed her walls up. She just had to keep focused. There was still so much to do. She had to be the leader.

JackSlap and Big Mac had come into her office shortly after she had taken her seat behind her sturdy desk. They had come in to talk about the information they had gotten the night before. Something had to be done. JackSlap had been talking, but AJ was lost in thought. She had been remembering the first time she had seen Dashie …

"Uhhh … right, boss?" JackSlap questioned, his voice telling that he thought he had made some sort of stupid mistake in his cognitive functions when AJ didn't answer him right away. It happened fairly often and the green pony had really been trying to cut down the number of instances that Applejack had to call him an idiot.

"Yeah … that's right," Applejack answered, but had no idea to what she had just agreed. She focused her energy back to the conversation, but she noted JackSlap's demeanor change when she lifted her head up.

"Boss, you okay? You look pretty bad." The enforcer had never seen his boss in such a state before. Her eyes were bright red and she almost looked like she had been … crying? JackSlap knew what crying looked like. His victims did it a lot between slaps to the face. He liked to watch mares cry the most. It usually turned him on, but on Applejack it scared him. The boss was the toughest pony he had ever met. If something was bothering her that badly it spelled disaster.

"Jack, just shut the buck up. Do Ah tell ya yer face looks like a pile of gryphon crap? Ah was up all night figurin' what we'd do with Pinkie Pie. We move today," Applejack growled at her enforcer.

JackSlap looked to Big Macintosh for support, but only got an angry glare. Mac didn't appreciate the purple-maned leg breaker pointing out his sister's rough state. Mac had noticed it already, but wasn't about to point it out. AJ was tough; she wouldn't like having a fault discussed by the likes of JackSlap. Jack looked away and changed the subject.

"Good. If we're going to be doing away with those two at the bakery, can I rape the pink one? She's way too happy for her own good and I want to see her break before we kill her. I want to watch the joy drain out of her eyes." The grin he sprouted was disgusting. Jackslap was a filthy fellow, but he was a valuable enforcer. He took great pleasure in harming others and he used all the tools he could to break a pony. He didn't get as much sexual pleasure from forcefully taking a mare, as sick satisfaction. He liked to watch their souls deaden before he killed their bodies.

Applejack sighed and lowered her head a little, her hat covering her eyes again. "Maybe, Jack. Ah don't know exactly what we should do about Pinkie yet."

"What?" Big Macintosh sounded surprised. It wasn't often he spoke, but he had clearly taken some issue with Applejack's lack of decision on the matter. "AJ, we have ta kill'em. This can't be forgiven. If they get away with this, the whole town'll turn against us."

Applejack growled and stood up angrily, shutting her brother's rising temper down before it started. AJ's teeth clenched and she looked on edge, as if she might do more than yell. "Do you think Ah don't KNOW THAT? Ah know what'll happen, Mac! We do this my way! Whatever Ah decide is the best course a' action!"

"Boss, we know you're in charge, but…"

"But what, JackSlap? Do ya want ta get yerself in a heap more trouble than ya can dig out of?"

"No, boss, I just meant…"

"Shut yer mouth! Ah'm plannin' this! We're takin' a small group. Us three and Twilight, that's it."

"AJ, are ya sure we should bring that unicowern with us? Ain't we been tryin' to keep her from findin' out about—"

"Yes, but Ah'm finished with that, Mac. Ah want her with us. She's useful and good with magic. Ah want to break her inta what we do. She's got a lot of good morals. We're gonna use that ta our advantage. If she's part of what we do, we can control her with it. She ain't likely to turn herself in, is she?" Applejack had been planning this for a while. She had been trying to discover a way to get Twilight in on the Family's business. For a while, she had respected the unicorn's innocence, but as times were getting harder she wanted a wise advisor. If she could turn Twilight to the family or even just control her, she could use that big, powerful brain of hers. Twilight had been very close with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, and AJ needed to discover if Twi had been working with them all along.

"Boss … she is friends with them two. What if she was working with them?" JackSlap, feeling uncomfortable, didn't want to upset Applejack any more than she already was. Whatever was going on in her mind was making her more dangerous than  
normal, but he had to point out Twilight's possible connections to their enemies.

"We'll find that out tonight, JackSlap. If she won't help us, we'll blow her brains out and burn her body. Ah don't want to get the attention of the Princess, but we have ta find out whose side Twilight is on. We cain't afford any more surprises." AJ was short and curt with her two most loyal stallions. Her business mind was taking over again, driving away other, distracting thoughts. "Tonight we'll deal with all the wild cards in this poker game. We'll see who is on whose side and be done with it. After tonight, the Trotters will lose their ability ta sell those drugs and start dyin' again."

Big Macintosh nodded proudly to JackSlap. AJ had a plan. She always had a plan. She looked tired and stressed out beyond belief, but her mind was still working well. Mac hoped this would all end tonight. AJ needed rest.

"So … uh, Boss. About the pink earth pony? Can I knock her down a few pegs or …"

The door suddenly swung open, the distraught Scootaloo stepping into the room. She looked as if her world had collapsed. Her face was wet with tears and her expression was of the gravest disappointment or sorrow. Her eyes were red from hours of weeping and her voice was barely able to push through the lump in her throat. "Rainbow Dash is dead!"

Applejack had been preparing for when somepony came to her to announce they had found Dash's body. It made sense that Scootaloo would find Dash. Applejack looked to the filly who had barged in and then to her enforcers, a mildly shocked look on her face. The look quickly turned to a smirk, however, as she remarked, "Dash is dead? Good. One less pony we have to worry about, dumb dyke."

Big Mac and JackSlap smirked at Applejack's crude, unfeeling crack and looked back to the filly who only stood there, an evil glare on her face.

"Damn, boss. You must have really messed her up if she died last night. I didn't think you hit her that hard," JackSlap took pride in his words, appreciating his boss' effectiveness and brutality.

"She probably overdosed, Jack. Ah doubt she could ever stop snortin' sweets. She was weak and useless. She was probably stoned out of her gourd last night. Ya'll heard how bucked up she sounded. All delusional, ya remember?" Applejack put on a grin that reveled in the misery of others. She looked condescending about Dash's demise as she callously responded to the filly's despair.

Scootaloo stood quietly, pouring her glare right through Applejack. AJ had killed Rainbow; she knew it. Why else would she be downstairs so early in the morning? She had probably forced Rainbow to snort the sweets Scoot had found next to her body. There was no way she had done them on her own volition; Rainbow had stopped using them. Rainbow had gotten clean and the contents of that bag wouldn't have been enough to overdose the mare. Something foul had gone down in the cellar and Scoots was certain Applejack had committed the deed. She stood, waiting. She had some things she needed to say to Applejack.

"All right, go dig a hole for her. We'll haul her useless ass out of the cellar and bury her in a little while. There's things we have ta do today, but she can inconvenience us one more time."

Big Mac and JackSlap turned and walked towards the exit of the room, walking right by the upset filly. They were almost out when Applejack called after them.

"Dig the hole in the family orchard and make a marker for her, Mac." Applejack stated, much of the sting lost from her words.

Big Mac looked back with a strange look. JackSlap spoke Mac's question, "The orchard? Isn't that reserved for family burials?"

Applejack's eyes were clearly visible again, red and full of ire at being questioned. She stood up from her desk and slammed her hooves down on the thick, dark wood with a loud no-nonsense crash. "Do it!"

"Y-yes, boss. Sorry, boss." JackSlap stammered out and quickly exited the office, Big Macintosh following, but with an unhappy expression on his face as he shut the door, leaving Applejack and the filly alone.

For a moment, the pair just looked at each other. AJ knew she had made Scootaloo angry with her callous words, but the pegasus looked unnaturally agitated and simply stared holes into her. Applejack glowered back with an equally heated expression and asked, "What do ya want, Scootaloo?"

The filly was burning with rage and her teeth clenched, her fear of Applejack sponged away by her hatred for the mare. "You killed Rainbow Dash. I saw you leaving the cellar this morning!"

A sudden chill ran through Applejack's spine. The guilty thought that she caused Dash's death welled inside of her, but she forced the emotions back down. She grunted and forced words over the painful lump in her throat, as she responded in an angry tone, "What in tarnation are ya talkin' about? Ah wasn't down there. Ah didn't kill Dash."

"I SAW YOU! Dash wouldn't have overdosed! She was clean! You poisoned some sweets and gave it to her, didn't you? You were always so mean to her! Why? Why did you kill her? WHY?" Scootaloo shouted at Applejack, tears poured down her cheeks and she bared her teeth.

"You shut up, Scootaloo! You do NOT talk ta me that way. Ah took care of yer worthless hide after yer parents orphaned ya. Ah gave ya a place ta live and fed ya, ya ungrateful bitch!" Applejack just wanted to be left alone. She walked around her desk intending to usher the filly out. She didn't need the orange filly filling her head up with more guilt. She didn't want to think about that right now.

"We were going to leave! We were leaving today, Applejack! Why couldn't you just let us leave? Why'd you have to kill her? I loved her … I'll never forgive you for this. I HATE YOU! MURDERER!" Scootaloo pushed her emotions out vocally. She wanted to run away, but had nowhere to go. She wanted to hurt Applejack, kill her even for taking Dash away.

Wanting to end the conversation immediately, Applejack galloped the short distance to the filly, ending the run with a hard right hoof into Scootaloo's eye, causing the filly to cry out and fall to her back. She was stout for her age, but a full-sized pony as tough as Applejack easily dominated her.

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Applejack straddled Scootaloo, blocking her legs from motion and lowered her head to get eye to stinging eye with the filly. "You listen well, Scootaloo. Ya'll are goin' ta be quiet and leave me alone or yer goin' ta join her in the hole bein' dug fer her. If you say one more buckin' word, Ah am going to stomp on ya until yer nothin' but applesauce. Do ya understand me?" AJ had enough of the filly's accusations.

Scootaloo's eye stung sharply from the vicious blow she had received and her heart leapt to her throat. She stared up fearfully of the big orange mare. It was her eyes. Applejack's eyes were deranged and murderous. Scoots could tell she was stretched to the breaking point and was honestly surprised that AJ gave her a warning at all. She was certain her death had come under Applejack's hooves.

As Scootaloo stared into Applejack's eyes, however, she saw something in them that she couldn't comprehend. Something … secret that AJ was guarding. Dash had seemed so happy the week before ... Scootaloo found herself distracted from her fear for the moment, trying to piece together the puzzle.

Scootaloo was startled when Applejack suddenly stepped off of her. Her heart pounded in her chest and her legs felt numb. Scoot's fear of Applejack came back to the forefront of her mind. The odd, deranged and … almost sad look in Applejack's eyes made Scoots want to cry. She just wanted to run away and hide forever. She didn't know where she could go, but she didn't want to stay on the farm any longer.

"Leave me alone, Scootaloo. Ah don't want ta see ya anymore today. Git!"

Scoots hopped to her hooves and quickly escaped the office of that crazy mare. She ran out of the house, just wanting to be free of the place.

Applejack stood in her office alone, tears dripping from her cheeks. There was a reason she had sacrificed those feelings of friendship so long ago. They hurt her. Connections and relationships with other ponies could hurt her. She lay on the floor and tied to calm herself. Twilight had started these feelings in her again. Pinkie, Shy, and Rarity had helped develop them at Applebloom's party, and Dash had freed them from the cage of her heart. Now Applejack had lost her lover and was going to twist Twilight's innocence and kill her friends. The magic of friendship? If friendship had magic, it was the strongest form of torment to exist. It was a curse, a weakness, and Applejack felt its power to the fullest extent. She wished for the monster inside herself to take away the pain and guilt. She knew it had the ability to do so. It would, she knew. It would return and take control again, but first it would let her suffer a while longer. It would make her regret having those soft feelings.

Twilight was shocked to learn about Rainbow Dash's death. She hadn't known how to respond when Applejack had come to her to tell her they were going to be burying the pegasus later that day. Dash had been so much better lately, so Twilight had thought. She had really pulled herself up from the sickness by all appearances. Twilight hugged Applejack and expressed her sympathy, she knew the two mares had been good friends. Twilight's shoulder had been moist when Applejack had released their hug. She wished there was something she could do to help the country mare. She hated knowing her friend was hurting. She talked briefly with Applejack and, to her surprise, the cow-mare had asked Twilight accompany her on a business trip to Ponyville after Dash's funeral. She found it admirable that the earth pony could continue business after such a sad event.

Twilight missed Spike, but had thrown herself headlong into her studies. She consulted her notes and used complex theories on emotional study to try to render some sort of workable magic based off a pony's connection to others. She had been working nearly non-stop since Spike had returned to Canterlot. She studied all the way up until Applejack returned in the evening to inform her that they were burying Dash.

Twilight stood next to AJ, who had a stern look about her. The orchard was beautiful in the evening and the light cascaded through the trees and lit stripes of orange across the grassy forest floor. There were quite a few ponies, but Twilight didn't see Rarity, Pinkie Pie, or Fluttershy. In fact, she didn't see any ponies that were from Ponyville itself. The whole group was comprised of the workers on the farm. Twilight supposed the rushed burial had caused that. She still believed Applejack to hold to traditions and burying a pony shortly after their death must have been part of that tradition. She assumed a doctor had been called when they discovered Dash's body, but didn't know for sure, not wanting to press her friend too hard for information. It really was a different world here with these country pony folk.

The graveyard inside the orchard was not formed in lines of plots as a normal graveyard, but seemed to be interspersed between the living apple trees in an unknown pattern. In some places, there were a couple of plots together indicating married couples, but most were to and fro.

A group surrounded the grave that had been dug roughly six feet deep and everypony kept quiet in the face of the event. Many of the Apples she only barely knew seemed sad and a few even cried, but the majority looked relatively neutral about the ordeal. She supposed many of them had prepared themselves for the inevitable. It just seemed so odd that Dash's death would occur after such a boon to her health. Twilight had seen her teaching Scootaloo on almost a daily basis. Sickness could be a funny thing, the unicorn thought. It wasn't the first time she had heard of a sudden rebound of health only to be snatched away shortly after. She looked around once more, noting that Sweetie Belle and Applebloom were sitting close together with down expressions, but, to Twilight's surprise, Scootaloo wasn't anywhere to be found.

Twilight was about to ask Applejack about the filly when a few of the stronger Apples carried a hastily constructed pine box through the group. They rested it momentarily and somepony from the crowd said a few words—very few, in fact. It surprised Twilight again; funerals in Canterlot were, well, a big deal. They had professionals give eulogies and praise the life of the departed, but this was nothing like that. A few words were said and the pallbearers lowered the casket into the hole, after which they immediately took up shovels and began filling in the grave. With that, many of the ponies in attendance started wandering back to the farm.

JackSlap and Big Macintosh stood away from the group, whispering to one another. The green pony looked to his bigger counterpart and made a sour face. "What a waste of time, Mac. Bucking addict didn't mean nothing to anypony and the boss gives her a place in the orchard? Gives her a nice little funeral and a stone with her name on it? She acted like she was just gonna dump her in a hole and be done with it."

"Eeyup." Big Mac was a little aggravated by the situation and didn't feel like talking. The orchard had always been reserved for family members. He didn't understand why his sister would want Rainbow Dash interred in this sacred place. He knew they had once been very good friends, so maybe that was why—some sort of respect for their old friendship. Their relationship over the past few years sure hadn't been friendly, though. He pondered the question. The funeral was quick but still far better than he had expected. They had been instructed to put together an actual funeral complete with a casket, even if it was simply rough cut pine boards nailed together; a stone, which actually looked well made, with her name and dates on it; and a small gathering of ponies. Applejack was being awfully soft about Rainbow Dash. Big Mac silently wondered if there was any truth to what the multicolored mare had said the night before. Did she and Applejack have some sort of relationship they kept hidden from the rest of the family? Mac had no proof and doubted he ever would now, but he watched his sister closely and with a questioning look.

"Boss looked bad this morning, Mac. There's something wrong with her. We better deal with the Trotters soon or she's gonna crack." JackSlap sounded worried but judgmental, drawing a not so friendly look from Macintosh. "I'm just saying, Mac. She didn't act like this when Cloud Kicker was her opponent."

"AJ knows what she is doin'. Leave her alone. In fact, shut up." Mac didn't want to hear anything ill about his sister, but he was secretly in agreement. Applejack seemed to be less capable lately. Mac hoped she would snap out of whatever it was that had her so shaken. Hopefully, after they dealt with Pinkie, things would settle down.

Twilight Sparkle sat next to Applejack after the other ponies dispersed, the pallbearers turned gravediggers dumping shovel after shovel full of dirt into the hole, forever covering Rainbow Dash. Twilight hugged Applejack again and got a sigh in return. Twi didn't know what to say; she wasn't a very social pony by nature and the subject of death was out of her limited knowledge of conversation. She just tried to be there. She wanted Applejack to know she had a friend in her.

Applejack looked grimly at Twilight and nodded. "We gotta go, Twi. Ah got business ta take care of. It's not gonna be a fun bit of business and Ah think yer not gonna be ready for it. Before we go, Ah just want ya to know that Ah think of ya as my friend. Ah want ya ta be part of us—part of the Family." The cow-mare emphasized the last word, with a grim look in her eyes.

Twilight smiled a little and nodded. "You are my very good friend, Applejack. I'm thrilled you want me to be there with you and you feel so strongly for me. This is the kind of bond that makes friendship worth studying."

Applejack chuckled gently, just under her breath. "We'll see, Twi."

Applejack looked over to her brother and JackSlap and motioned with her head. It was time to head to Ponyville. It was time to deal with Pinkie and the Trotters. She led the group, unsure of how this deal was going to go down, but knowing that Twilight was either going to have to change or be one more victim at the scene.

The sun had just dipped below the horizon and the first blue shades of night were sprouting from the shadows as the ponies made the dirt path that led to Ponyville.

Sweetie Belle had stayed through the whole boring ceremony of Rainbow Dash's funeral. It was boring and she only attended to provide comfort for Applebloom, who was saddened, and to enjoy the broken heart and spirit of Scootaloo. When Scoots didn't show up, Sweetie had been agitated. She had plans for that little Pegasus, plans that would make up for her black eye and sore face.

Sweetie hoped that Scootaloo hadn't run away. That thought had crept into her mind. She may have simply given up after Dash's premature demise—an amusing thought—and ran away. Sweetie's bitter vision hadn't been completed yet, however, and she meant to completely break Scoot's spirits. She would learn not to stand up to her betters. She would learn her place this time for sure.

The funeral, if you could call the dinky little service a funeral, ended and Applebloom wanted to go back to the farmhouse to sleep. She didn't feel like playing and Sweetie happily walked her friend back to her room. The unicorn used her magic to help make the filly comfortable and then stepped back into the early night to watch Dash's grave for Scootaloo. She hoped Scoots would show up. She hadn't come up with this plan to not use it against her enemy. She tromped lightly through the orchard and came to the plot of land that had several scattered plots for deceased ponies. She slid behind a particularly large marker as she heard a whimpering noise.

It was Scootaloo; it had to be. A deliciously evil chuckle came from deep within Sweetie and she poked her green little eyes around the tombstone. Sure enough, Scoots sat before the stone marker of Rainbow Dash's grave and sobbed. The misery in the pegasus almost fed Sweetie Belle. It was better than she had imagined and she savored the moment for a short while, eagerly drinking up Scootaloo's pain and sorrow. After a while, she decided it was time to put her scheme into action. It was time to act the part of the concerned friend.

Scootaloo rubbed her eyes with her hooves and looked down at the name on the burial mound: Rainbow Dash, her only true friend. The only pony that cared about her well-being lay deep under the marker. Scoot wasn't sure what to do. Her plans had crumbled before her and she didn't like the idea of remaining on the farm with Applejack. Scoot had accused her of murdering Dash and wasn't convinced she hadn't, despite the odd, almost pained look in her eyes. Scoot knew AJ could be devious and calling her a murderer probably wasn't the smartest idea she had ever had.

However, even if Applejack didn't bring any repercussions from their earlier talk, Scootaloo didn't think she had a future at Sweet Apple Acres. She wasn't sure if she wanted that kind of future anymore, anyway. She hoped something bad would happen to Applejack and, in her anger and despair, she wished she could be the one to do it to her. But, Dash had taught her better than to think that way. Then she had been murdered … and there was no doubt about that. Dash wouldn't have killed herself and she couldn't have overdosed on the Sweets Scoots had found. There simply couldn't have been enough there to send a one-time pro of sweets abuse to her grave.

Scoots let her tears fall onto the freshly piled soil of Dash's place of rest and she felt crushed. She felt truly alone in the world. She was friendless and without a role model again. She wanted to die. It wouldn't be all that bad; at least she wouldn't hurt anymore. She would be out of this world of terror and heartbreak. Maybe Dash would be there and they could be together in the afterlife. It wasn't a bad idea. She lay down on the dirt and nuzzled her cheek into it, wishing she could feel Dash's warm shoulder under her head. The filly longed to listen to her heart beating and her lungs taking in and expelling air. She didn't expect to hear the voice of her nemesis.

"Scoot … I'm sorry. I know she meant a lot to you," Sweetie's voice was full of remorse and regret. It brimmed with apology and tenderness. Scoot couldn't believe what she had heard. She lifted her head up, rubbed the tears from her eyes, careful with the one AJ had struck earlier, and tilted to look at the white unicorn filly.

Sweetie Belle looked demure and soft, her head hanging low before her, her good eye begging forgiveness. "I … I wish I could help you, Scoot. I know you hate me, and I'm sorry. I've been so mean to you. I just … I just wish I could do something to help you." In her mind, the unicorn applauded herself. She was really hamming up the reproachful sadness routine she had cooked up. Scoot was an idiot, but she might not buy it. She would have to continue to sound submissive and hurt.

"What are you doing here, Sweetie? Shouldn't you be happy about this? Don't pretend you want to be friends." Scootaloo was in no mood to deal with Sweetie, but she hadn't expected her to sound so sad. Scoot wanted a friend right now and part of her wanted to hug her one-time friend if, for nothing else, the comfort of a living being, but she didn't trust her.

"I know you think I'm terrible. I … Twilight made me think about things. I don't want to here anymore, Scootaloo. I don't want this life and I know you don't either. I just want to be friends again. I miss being your friend. I don't even care about my black eye. I deserved it for treating you so badly." _Nice and easy, be careful not to spook her, _the pegasus thought to herself. Scootaloo might be dumb as a stump, but she had instincts, as Sweetie Belle knew all too well. She would have to fool the pegasus on a deeper level.

Scootaloo sighed and turned to Sweetie Belle. The pegasus knew she looked helpless and weak. If Sweetie wanted to hurt her, now was the time. And, at the moment, she welcomed it. If she didn't survive it, it might be better. "If you're just screwing with me, Sweetie, drop it. I don't want to deal with it anymore. If you want to use your magic to crush my head with a rock, I'll hold still. I don't want to be around anymore."

The offer was tempting to Sweetie Belle. She had been dreaming of such things the last few nights, but Scootaloo's pain wasn't over yet. She didn't want it to end that bluntly. She wanted the pegasus to survive for a while longer. She wanted to grind her in the dirt and make her really hate living. What she was feeling now was just sorrow and loss. Sweetie wanted to make her truly feel alone. She wanted to hurt her far more deeply than losing her closest friend.

Sweetie stepped towards Scootaloo, moving right up in front of the sitting pegasus and wrapped her in a big hug. Sweetie pulled the filly close to her and nuzzled into her neck gently. She had to seem as honest as possible about rekindling their friendship. "I'm sorry, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo couldn't resist any longer. This day had been the worst in her whole life and she was emotionally crippled. She wrapped her hooves around the unicorn and hugged her back, enjoying the touch of another pony. She cried softly into Sweetie's shoulder and sobbed, "I'm sorry I hurt you, Sweetie Belle. I want to be friends again, too."

She wasn't sorry enough. Soon she would really be sorry. Sweetie smiled to herself, her grin one of victory. The idiot was weak right now and had fallen for her ruse. She was putty in her hooves. Her revenge would soon be complete.

Scootaloo didn't feel much like seeing whatever it was Sweetie wanted to show her. She just wanted to go to bed and hide under the blankets. Scoot wasn't happy, but at least she and Sweetie were getting along better. She slowly walked after Sweetie Belle, following her into the farmhouse of Sweet Apple Acres.

"I promise you'll feel better, Scootaloo. I know you're sad. I think this may cheer you up a little. It's a secret that Applejack showed me the other day. It's really neat." Sweetie giggled on the inside; Scoots was falling behind, but had been willing to see what Sweetie wanted to show her. She should have trusted her instincts; they were much stronger than that useless brain rattling around in her pegasus head.

"Nothing can make me feel better, Sweetie. Just let me go to bed. I'll look at it tomorrow." Scootaloo's eyes were puffy and red, but she had stopped crying; her body had cried itself out for one day and left her weary and drained. She just wanted to fall asleep.

"It's on the way and Applejack isn't here right now. She'll probably be at home all day tomorrow. She was upset about Rainbow Dash. I know she was." Sweetie knew for a fact that Applejack had been upset about Rainbow Dash. That bitch deserved to hurt a lot more than that. She may have made Sweetie a real Family member for what she had done to Spike, but it hadn't been fair to lie to her like that. Spike's death still bothered Sweetie, but at least she had toughened up significantly because of it. She didn't think she could ever let Twilight find out the truth, but she was dealing with it. She was safe now; she was an Apple. If she had been forced to give up her innocence, it was a fair deal. Her parents would likely have been disappointed in her, but they were dead, weren't they? Dead ponies didn't matter anymore.

"Okay … " Scoots let out a deep sigh and slowly climbed the stairs that led up to the second level of the farmhouse. "Applejack killed Rainbow, Sweetie. She says she didn't, but I saw her leave the cellar just before I found Dash."

"Really? Oh … well I caught her crying today. I think they were marefriends. That's what she kept saying. She didn't know I could hear her." That much was true; Sweetie had discovered a lot about Applejack that morning, in fact ...

Scootaloo paused and looked up at the unicorn. "Really? Why wouldn't Dash tell me about that?" She looked hurt, but she had looked hurt all day, so it was impossible to tell if that knowledge was bothering her or not.

"I don't know, Scoots. That's just what I heard her saying. You might be right. Maybe she did… you know… kill her. Applejack isn't the most trustworthy pony." Sweetie's mood darkened for a moment. Applejack was evil. Sweetie may have to live with her, but she didn't think she'd ever forgive her. She shook the memory of Spike from her mind and looked back down to Scootaloo, just making the top of the stairs. She smiled softly to the pegasus and led her to Applejack's office door.

She waited for the moping filly to catch up and, for a moment, doubted her actions. Wasn't she deceiving Scootaloo just as Applejack had deceived her? No … this was different. Scootaloo was a brute. Scootaloo had almost killed Sweetie and her face still hadn't healed. She would just throw that stupid thought out of her head. Scootaloo deserved whatever she got and more. That pain that ran from her horn to her chin? _Yeah, thanks for doing that Scootaloo_, Sweetie thought, scornfully. _Thanks for holding me down and beating me unconscious. Thanks for the eye that still isn't open after a week and keeps me awake at night because it hurts when it touches my pillow_. "Come on, in here," she sweetly beckoned.

Scootaloo watched as Sweetie slipped into Applejack's office and she looked around to make sure the coast was clear before slipping inside as well. It was dark inside and Scoot's eye stung as Sweetie's horn lit up, illuminating the room in shaky magical light.

Sweetie slipped behind Applejack's desk and tried the drawer. Luckily, it hadn't been locked back from the other day and the unicorn carefully pulled it open, rummaging through the contents until she came out with a key. She turned and grinned to Scootaloo. "Have you ever wondered what was behind this door?" The filly indicated with her head the door that was directly behind the desk.

Scootaloo looked at it. She had heard rumors of a trophy room. She idly wondered if this door was its entrance. She really didn't feel adventurous. She had lost her idol today, but she also knew Sweetie was trying to be a friend again for the first time in months. Scoots nodded gently, not really excited.

Sweetie used the key to the door and killed her magic, barely opening the door widely enough to wriggle into the room. She reached out for Scootaloo and helped guide her forward. Sweetie couldn't help but chuckle as the larger filly squeezed inside and she pulled the door nearly closed. This was perfect. Scootaloo was going to love this!

Rummaging for the light switch for a moment, Sweetie's heart skipped a beat in anticipation. This was going to teach that pegasus not to hurt her. This was what she deserved. She deserved to know the truth about Applejack! Her hoof found the switch and pushed it to the on position, bright light spewing from the ceiling lamp.

Scootaloo jumped at first as the stretched faces of many dead ponies looked down at her from ponnequin heads. She nearly gagged at the sight and she panted hard, her body suddenly breathless from the shock. "Why … why would this cheer me up? This … this is … I thought it was a story. I didn't think it was real."

"It's very special, Scoots. This is where all of Applejack's enemies are kept. This is what happens when a pony crosses Applejack. Look at them all. Leaders of former gangs, double crossers, and all kinds of others."

"Why show me this? I don't want to see this." Scoot felt scared in this room. It was a room designed to horrify and it was doing a good job. She was surrounded by pieces of ponies! She knew Applejack was sick, but she had never believed the rumors of this room.

"There's a couple you need to see, Scootaloo. Look up there." Sweetie pointed with her hoof and grinned sadistically. This was it. This was what she had led her to see. She watched as the memories rushed back into Scoot's mind and the horror stretched her face into mind-numbing terror.

Scootaloo wanted to scream, but she couldn't. Her chest hurt and her legs went numb. She begged her eyelids to close and shut out the image they were bringing to her mind, but she was locked in fright. Hanging near the top shelf, the removed faces of Scootaloo's parents stared blankly down at the filly. Her mind cracked and she realized the awful truth. Applejack had murdered her parents and stripped their bodies of their faces. They hadn't abandoned her. They had been murdered!

Scootaloo's body finally snapped from its stance and she ran. She had to be free of that place. Her mind reeled in nightmarish hell. She screamed as she broke free of the farmhouse and streaked into the night. Her wings opened and she leapt with all of her strength, pushing the air beneath her as Dash had taught and took to the sky. He heart beat rapidly in her chest and she cried tearlessly. Her mind was ripping apart at the terrible sight to which she had been subjected. Sweetie had planned it; she had to have. She could no longer stay in that place. She couldn't live in the same house as the detached flesh of her parents.

Sweetie fell to her back laughing in the trophy room. She looked up at the dislocated face of the dead and shrieked in laughter. Her revenge was complete. Scootaloo was gone. Scootaloo had been shown the wonderful truth about her parents. Scootaloo knew real pain and it filled the white unicorn with perverse glory and joy. She held her sides and laughed until tears streamed from her good eye and a thin line of blood poured from her wounded black eye.


	17. Cooking with Gas

Segment 2 Chapter 9 Finale

Applejack led her small group towards Ponyville in the dying light of the evening. She cast her troubled eye up to the horizon and watched the purplish light fade as Celestia's sun was slowly replaced with Luna's moon. Another day was nearly gone, another life snuffed out before the might of eternity. Someday she would be gone as well, just a figment of the past, her travels coming to an end. She had brought many others to their end over the years and she was probably going to send two of her friends off to the oblivion that awaited everypony. She still wasn't sure how to handle Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, she simply knew she had to make the best decision for the Family.

Shuffling behind Applejack was her big brother, Macintosh, and her leg-breaker JackSlap; behind them was the innocent unicorn Twilight Sparkle. Applejack had been without an advisor for a long time, but the emotional distress of her occupation had been bearing down on her, grating her nerves raw and bloody. An advisor, somepony she could trust and talk to, would be a blessing. Dash had been her advisor and lover for a week and much of her frustration had been released until the poor blue pegasus opened her mouth at the wrong time. Damn … she couldn't think about Dash now, there was too much to do still. Twilight, however…

AJ thought about Twilight. She was very intelligent, probably the smartest mare she had ever met. She had a lot of ideas with which Applejack had, frankly, been impressed. She had done some work on creating a soil detoxifier that, while not perfect, had produced some results. They had covered a barren field with the liquid and sparse patches of sickly grass had sprouted. It may not have been perfect, but it was better than she had thought possible. If Twilight had been with her before … Well, that was only hypothetical. There was no sense thinking in maybes. Twilight would be able to help the Family greatly. Her brain would be a great boon to the business.

At this point, AJ couldn't afford to let Twilight leave Sweet Apple Acres. She was happy to keep Twilight on the farm and let her continue to search out the resources for her little assignment but, once that was over, Applejack would have a difficult time keeping her. The orange pony didn't necessarily want to crush Twilight's innocence, but she would aid Applejack in many ways if she were turned to the Family. Twi had become Applejack's very good friend and, until Rainbow had cleaned up, she was the only pony Applejack had trusted with her thoughts. She hoped Twilight would be able to forgive her for breaking her into the business; it was either that or Twilight would have to be put down. This way Applejack was giving her a chance.

For a moment, the country mare watched the dirt road before her, thinking back to Scootaloo earlier that morning. That little bitch had burst into her conference with Big Macintosh and JackSlap. She had accused Applejack of murdering Rainbow Dash, having witnessed Applejack coming from the cellar. She thought about the events that had transpired that morning and sighed as they came back to her…

Applejack lay in her comfortable bed alone, unable to sleep. For the last six hours she had rolled, tossed, and bucked underneath the thick blankets, her thoughts prying wide the lids of her eyes and chuckling to themselves as the eyes beneath reddened and burned from lack of sleep. Applejack's mind was far too busy. What should she do with Pinkie and Fluttershy? They used to be her friends; did that not mean she could show a little leniency towards them? Did they deserve to die for their actions? They were simply living as best they could; it just happened to conflict with her life style. Could she buy them out or incorporate them into her business? She just didn't know. Given the circumstances, death was the only choice she could make. She couldn't be soft on them; it would just spark others to try and mimic them. If she bought them out others would expect the same and there would be an influx of new drugs. She had to kill them. It was the only way.

The problem was that Applejack didn't want to kill Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy; well, part of her did, but not all of her. She still remembered their friendships years ago and the fun they had all shared. AJ sighed and tossed the blanket from her body, suddenly hot and sweating like a pig in a sausage contest.

Not only was there the issue of Pinkie and Shy, but Twilight had been extremely close with that pair. Had she been part of their group? Had Twilight been there as a spy? AJ had initially thought Twi was a spy for Canterlot, but what if she had been a spy for Pinkie the entire time? She had to press Twilight for the information. Twilight would have to join Applejack or die. There was no room for anymore maybes. She either already knew what the Family did or she would have to be let in on it shortly.

The dragon had seemed rather clueless, but that could have been a ruse. Twilight was extremely intelligent and AJ had no doubt she could devise great deceptions, but that time was over. Action was required.

She let out a strained sigh and brought her forehooves up to her head, tussling her mane to just get out some of her frustration. The darkness of the room was oppressive and the country mare banished thoughts of Pinkie, going back to that other ball of fire in her mind, Dash.

She had regretted hitting Rainbow as she had, but that big mouth dyke just couldn't keep her trap shut. AJ had told her to stay quiet about their relationship and what did her idiot marefriend do? Oh, just blurted out their private business right in front of Big Macintosh and JackSlap! AJ couldn't risk being exposed as a deviant to her older brother and had been forced to make a decision on the spot. Would she just admit her feelings for the blue pegasus and submit her weakness to the Family or shut the multihued mare up and play it off? When it came down to it, AJ knew she was a coward. She couldn't admit the weakness within herself and had harmed her lover in order to protect her reputation. Pitiful… but the Family needed her. What would happen if she left? Big Mac didn't have the skills to lead them and Apple Bloom was still too young and was completely ignorant to the real business the Family did. Applejack hated herself for hitting Rainbow Dash and calling her hurtful names. She had even told her she wasn't welcome on the farm anymore. She would have to find some reason to keep her. She didn't want to be without her now. It meant that they probably couldn't sleep together every night, but they could still have their moments.

Applejack, once again, let out her stress through her mouth in the form of a heavy sigh. It was late. Nopony inside the house would be awake at this time; she could slip down to Dash and apologize. She doubted Dash would be in the mood to kiss, cuddle, or more, but at least she could be rid of a few of the painful feelings she was experiencing.

AJ slid from her bed quickly and unlocked her bedroom door. The earth pony stuck her head into the hallway and perked her ears up attentively. She heard Big Mac's snoring from down the hall, but that was all. Just as she had hoped, everypony was asleep. Quietly she made her way out into the hallways, carefully planting each hoof gently to test the wooden floor. The last thing she wanted was to cause a board to shriek under her weight and wake up somepony. She needed to see Rainbow, to kiss her and tell her how sorry she was. If Dash would learn to keep her bucking mouth closed, they could salvage their relationship and still see each other in secret.

The cow-mare quietly made her way down to the cellar level of the house and eased up to Rainbow Dash's door, light spilled from the bottom. Good—Dash was probably awake. AJ took a moment to listen for the sounds of others moving around. Confident she and Dash were the only ones awake in the extreme early hours of the night, she didn't waste time with a knock, but opened the door.

The room was cold and filthy. It used to be a storehouse for apples, after all, and they would keep for quite a long time in the dry but cold atmosphere of the cellar. In the center of the room Dash's mottled bedding of dry rotted burlap sacks barely covered the still mare. AJ frowned for a moment; Dash was asleep after all, her eyes closed and a pained look smeared across her face. She looked paler than normal and the bruising of her jaw, which AJ was certain she had fractured, stuck out starkly and sickly compared to the colorations of the rest of her body. AJ's heart sank a little in her chest. She hadn't meant to hit her that hard; she just wanted to make it look real, not really hurt her. The moment must have taken control of her. She had just spent hours beating information out of a Trotter. It was hard to hold back while that thrill still had flourished within her body.

She didn't even notice the baggie of nearly depleted white powder for a moment. When AJ noticed it, she grew agitated with the pegasus and stomped towards her. Dash had just gotten over her habit and AJ wasn't about to watch her fall apart again. She couldn't let her lover break down again. She felt like such a hypocrite at that moment; one minute she was kicking the mare while she looked up with that betrayed look in her eyes and the next she was about to lecture her on how she needed to take better care of herself. AJ's emotions were disjointed from the pressure of her occupation, her mind unable to process the unrelated emotions of love and hate, yet being subjected to them both in tandem at an almost constant rate. It was hard on the mare and, somewhere inside, she knew she wasn't worthy of Dash's love. She was too far gone to the life she had chosen. It would be better if she just ran the mare off to never return, but she couldn't do that. She loved Rainbow Dash. She loved her and, for Celestia's sake, the pegasus was going to wake the buck up and listen to what she had to say.

"Dash! Wake up! We gotta talk!" AJ's voice was hushed, but still carried the harsh tones she had grown a custom to using. Her green eyes bore down on the sleeping pegasus and she moved a little closer. "Rainbow. You wake up. Ah gotta tell ya something important."

Applejack waited only a moment and reached down, intending to shake the sleeping pegasus awake. "Dammit, Dash. Ah said to open yer …" Her body was terribly cold and, when AJ's hooves pressed to shake Dash's body, the shoulders didn't move independently of the rest of her body. They moved with the body as a whole... AJ blinked in shock. She knew Rainbow Dash was dead instinctually, but her brain didn't want to process that information just yet, ignoring what her gut told her for its own needs.

AJ stopped dead in her motion and fate's icy grasp clasped around her entire body. It was as if her blood had turned to ice and froze her to the spot. It couldn't be … It just couldn't be … Dash was fine just a short while ago. She was just asleep, right. Yeah, that was it … and the cold air had stiffened her up a bit. Dash always was a heavy sleeper. Regardless, Applejack refused to touch Rainbow and resorted to shouting in her ear. Her apprehension of being loud snapping under the strain of her instincts.

"RAINBOW DASH! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" It only took moments before panic set in and she found herself screaming at the dead body of her lover and longtime friend. Tears began to pour from her eyes and her voice became hoarse and cracked fitfully as her fears came true. She was lucky the cellar was far from the upper level of the house and fairly well soundproofed. Her cries were not being heard through the wood of the home, at least not without the aid of magic.

Applejack planted her hooves on Dash's shoulders again and shook her violently, pleading with the pegasus to open her eyes. "Please, Dashie … Ah'm sorry. Please … just wake up. Ah love ya. Ah … Dashie …"

Applejack lost herself to sorrow, her heart—or what was left of it—was dying and it was all her fault. She had driven Dash to using drugs. It was all because of her. She had caused all of it. Dash had somehow broken free of her addiction once, but AJ had pushed her back to the drugs through her violence and inability to simply admit the love she felt for her. Dash had overdosed to escape the pain Applejack had caused her. She knew it. Dash had felt rejected after the abuse and had taken her words to heart when she had told her to leave the farm and never return. AJ hadn't meant those things, she had to say them. She thought Dash would understand … She clearly had not. Now her beautiful body lay motionless in a frigid cell with the remains of rotted apples and broken barrels. It was not what she deserved. Her spirit, the spirit AJ loved so much, was gone, departed from the misery of what her life had become and had left Applejack behind.

She cried hard, sobbing deeply and wrapping her forelegs around the corpse of her lover. Her tears merged with the soft cyan coat of Dash's body and she buried her face in the sweet smelling mane of many colors. For a long time she cried into the body of her deceased marefriend and blamed herself, but Applejack hadn't gotten as far as she had by feeling sorry for herself. AJ was a drug lord because she knew how to shift the blame to deal with the atrocities she committed daily.

After her heart had poured out and the realization that Dash was gone forever had set in, her subconscious mind had begun to filter little lies and excuses up to her conscious mind. Dash was a loser … She always had been. Dash had probably never stopped using sweets and had killed herself because she finally realized that AJ was too good for the likes of her. Her only way out of the heartbreak was suicide … It definitely wasn't Applejack that had pushed her there with abuse and violence. Dash couldn't handle what it meant to truly be tough. She was just a weak, pathetic mare and this was the best thing she could do with her life. AJ didn't need the bitch holding her back and causing her strife. Dash was probably in on the deal with Pinkie. She was there to keep AJ's mind away from the problems of business with her slutty ways. Hadn't she tried to defend Pinkie and Fluttershy? Applejack scoffed and wondered how many times Dash had slept with those two? Filthy slut.

Applejack's mind was tearing apart from the thoughts. She had truly loved Dash, and part of her knew it, but these other thoughts made her feel better. The pain went away as they swept in, but Applejack fought the urge to believe them. Dash had never lied about her feelings for her and AJ knew it was unfair to think she had. She was unstable and this was just too much. She wanted to stay with Dash's body and hold her a little longer, to feel her coat and tight frame, but as her mental faculties began to retake control, she realized that if she were caught in such a wretched state it would only validate everything Dash had announced last night and more. This was the worst Applejack had ever felt, her lowest moment, and she couldn't be seen in such a state. She wouldn't be able to be the one who found Dash's body. She was going to have to go back upstairs and get control of herself and wait for somepony else to discover her lover's remains.

AJ would leave, but she took a moment longer to press her lips to the still form in the middle of the room. She swept the multicolored locks of mane back and stared at Dash. She looked like she was sleeping, that was all, just resting. AJ knew this was the last time she would be able to be intimate with the mare. She didn't want to waste it and kissed the corpse gently on the lips, whispering apologies into her ear and shutting her eyes tightly, her mind switched tactics and for a moment she could have sworn Dash's voice was in her mind, releasing her from the hurt. Too bad it was just a stray thought. AJ wasn't dumb and knew better than to believe in ghosts or contact with spirits. It was still a nice thought, though, and she wished it were true.

A few moments later, Applejack quietly made her way back to her bedroom. She did her best to slip through the hallways unnoticed, finally reaching her bedroom door and pushing it open, crawling under the blankets and crying herself to sleep. The sleep she had tried for restlessly finally came to her. In her dreams, she ran under the open sky with Rainbow Dash, their unity finally complete.

Sugar Cube Corner was alive with excitement! Pinkie Pie gathered up the utensils for creating Pink Dreamz and bagged them, pushing them together in an oversized saddlebag. She then picked up a grocery bag full of little pink bars. This was the last time she would ever have to make these despicable little things and her heart filled with joy at the knowledge. She quickly stuffed them into the other side of the saddlebag and turned to Fluttershy with a huge smile. "That's it, Flutters! Our drug making business has ended and we can just be the Sugar Cube Party Planners!"

"Yay!" Flutters sounded enthusiastic, but still relatively quiet. The yellow pegasus had been looking forward to this day for quite a long while. Their business had really taken off and they were gone most nights of the week now. With this commercial success, the pair had earned almost enough money to relocate to the busier streets of Canterlot. Pinkie had agreed to sell her recipe and equipment to Golden Harvest and her gang for a tidy sum of bits. It wasn't enormous, but enough to supplement their move and opening of a brand new store. The last meeting with the gang leader was going to take place in an hour and then they would be free of Ponyville. They would hire movers in Canterlot to retrieve all of their things and they planned to board a train this very night, bound for Canterlot, their new hometown. Fluttershy flapped her wings in applause and was given a delicious slice of cake from Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie Pie chuckled and swallowed the rest of the cake whole, an amazing ability she had always had. Her long tongue snaked out and cleaned the icing from her face and she looked at the untouched slice she had given Fluttershy not ten seconds before. "You going to eat that?" Her voice was high pitched and happy. She bounced in place and eagerly looked at the cake.

"Oh … umm … if you want it, Pinkie, you can eat it." Shy was gentle and soft. She wanted the best for others and pushed the cake towards Pinkie Pie. There were plenty of other goodies in their refrigerator now. She softly smiled as Pinkie swallowed the slice whole and took the plate to the sink for washing.

Flutters took a moment to look at their soon to be ex-home. It was clean and beautiful. The lights had all been repaired and they had painted every single surface as well as replacing all the old furniture. The once run down and filthy hovel of a failed bakery was warm, cozy, and displaying several party instruments. All of this had been thanks to Pinkie Pie. Flutters had helped bring the party pony back from the edge of defeat and her energy and love of parties had helped them renew their respective lives.

Pinkie returned from washing the dish and bounced merrily around Fluttershy. "Just one hour, Shy. I'll take the cakes and tools to Harvest and show her how to use them and then we'll board a train to Canterlot! I'm so excited! I feel like singing!"

Pinkie cleared her throat and continued to bounce around the room, her ability to create lyrics and tunes at a whim being put to use as her high-pitched voice rang out in elation. Once the song had ended, the party pony hugged her friend and chuckled. "I can't wait to move! I heard that there's a nightclub in Canterlot called Party Central! How great is that? A place that parties all night every night? I can't wait to check it out!"

Fluttershy wasn't interested in large gatherings of ponies, but she smiled happily for Pinkie's sake. She seemed to be interested in Canterlot quite a bit.

"Shy! Did you know there are stores in Canterlot that sell almost any kind of pets? I know you are kind of sad that we will be leaving all your animal friends behind, but it's a good thing, right? They don't have to worry about you anymore. I'm glad you told them to stop hanging around Sweet Apple Acres. I'd hate it if something happened to them because they were watching the Apples."

"Wow, that's neat, Pinkie. I'd like to see a place like that, but animals shouldn't be sold. They should be free." She went silent for a moment as she thought about all of her little animals friends. It was better that they could continue their lives in the forest. Coming into Ponyville was dangerous. She had lost two of her squirrels to the target practice of some of the ponies in gangs. It had hurt her deeply. She had dismissed her friends from their duties only a few days before. With their impending departure and the friendly attitude in which they had been greeted at Applebloom's birthday party, it was probably a good time to let them continue their normal lives. She still felt sad about leaving them behind, but they would be fine now. "It's okay. They will be happy away from Ponyville. Maybe we can buy a pet from one of those stores?"

"Okey dokey lokey! I heard they even have baby alligators! How great would that be?" Pinkie jumped off of the couch in an explosion of hyperactivity at the thought of owning an alligator as a pet.

Fluttershy made a worried face. An alligator wasn't a friendly prospect. She would just have to wait and see, though she hoped there were no alligators.

A sudden knocking came from the front door and Pinkie hopped up, kicked her saddlebags behind the couch, between the back of the piece of furniture and the wall, and hopped to the door. She pulled the door open and beamed happily. "Applejack! How are you? Oh! Twilight, Big Mac, and Jackie! Come in!"

Fluttershy felt an icicle appear in her stomach and looked to make sure Pinkie's saddlebags were out of sight. She hoped this would be a quick visit. She hadn't seen AJ since the party, but didn't immediately feel threatened by her appearance.

Applejack didn't smile and walked into the living room, sizing the place up. She didn't know if Pinkie would have any goons with her. She didn't think it was likely, but she looked around the room and poked her head in the kitchen as the rest of her group followed behind her. Twilight was the only one smiling.

"Hi, Pinkie Pie. Hi, Fluttershy. Applejack, I didn't know we were coming here to see them." Twilight smiled happily and smelled the tasty flavors of cupcakes and icing.

"Pinkie, we're here on business." Applejack looked at the pink mare and then to the yellow pegasus, who shirked slightly.

"Goodie! Do you need another party thrown? I'll give you a discount since we're such good friends!" The hyper pink earth pony could barely hold still.

Applejack yanked her hoofgun from her saddlebag, quickly followed by JackSlap and Big Mac pulling their own guns free of their hiding places. Pinkie's eyes went wide and she stopped dead in her tracks, her bounciness at its end. Fluttershy made a weak shriek and covered her eyes. "Not that kind of business, Pinkie."

Twilight nearly screamed. She did not expect anything of this sort. She didn't know what was happening and seeing her friends pull guns on her other friends was an experience she had never thought she would see. "AJ, what are you doing? Why are you doing that?"

"It's high time ya learned what we do at Sweet Apple Acres Twi. We don't sell apples and this one here," she motioned with her hoofgun towards Pinkie Pie, "has been cuttin' in on the Family's business, ain't ya Pinkie?"

Pinkie looked at the gun and then back to Applejack. This was not how tonight was supposed to go. She wasn't sure how she would get out of this. She gulped hard and lied. "I don't know what you are talking about, silly filly. There's no need to point those things at us." She just had to fool them tonight. After that, she would be finished forever with drugs. She just had to convince them she was innocent. If they didn't find her saddlebags everything would be okay.

"Twilight, drag those kitchen chairs in here and tie them two to 'em." Applejack ordered the lavender unicorn. "We're gonna look around an' see what we might find."

"AJ, this is a joke, right? You can't seriously want me to tie up Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. They are our friends. How do they cut in on your business? They make parties for ponies." Twilight was trying to rationalize what she was seeing. It had to be some big joke.

"Mac," Applejack spoke without taking her eyes off of Pinkie Pie as Big Macintosh turned his gun to point directly at Twilight's head.

"Twi, Ah ain't kiddin'. Get them chairs and tie them up or Ah'll have you shot. Yer my friend, Twi. Ah don't want to paint the wall with yer brains, but it's high time you found out what we do." Applejack sounded serious, sounded angry.

Twilight's legs refused to move, her heart was lodged in her throat and her knees shook as she looked down the barrel of the large magnum Big Macintosh had aimed right between her eyes. She just couldn't believe this was happening. To her horror, she realized that Spike was right. Spike had been right all along and now she was in trouble. She concentrated on making her legs move, but they rigidly refused.

"Mac. Shoot her if she ain't movin' in three seconds."

"Eeyup."

"1 …"

Pinkie looked at her friend, Twilight, and then to the kitchen. "I'll get the chairs, Applejack. Don't shoot her. I don't know what you think we're doing, but …"

"2. Shut up, Pinkie. We already interrogated T-Bone an' he told us everythin' we need to know. This is for Twilight to do. You just stand still or Ah'll blow yer legs off. Twi, you best get movin'."

Twilight was shaking with fear, but when Big Mac moved a little closer with his large gun, her legs broke their suspension and she stepped towards the kitchen, pulling two chairs with her magic into the den.

"Good, Twilight. Now … tie them up nice an' tight. Don't half ass it, or else." Applejack watched as Twilight obeyed her orders. She enjoyed the look of panic and quirky way Twilight moved. She was afraid. That was good. If she was frightened, she was more likely to take orders.

Twilight was scared. She didn't understand the depth to which Applejack's evil could go and she feared Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy would be killed. She had tied Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy to kitchen chairs, their forehooves tied behind the backs of the chairs, and they sat on their rumps in an uncomfortable position. Twilight shook nervously and looked sadly to her friends. Her mind just kept repeating that Spike had been right. She should have left with him. At least he had gotten away. "Please, AJ. We're friends. Please don't hurt them."

Applejack had lowered her gun from Pinkie's face and talked calmly, in control. She glowered at Twilight and scoffed, "These buckers have been takin' from mah family. They called me their friend and stabbed me in the back. They don't deserve any pity, Twilight. Don't you lower yerself to plead for 'em. Ah'm testin' ya right now, Twi. Ah have to know Ah can trust ya. Now, you were spendin' a lot of time with these two. How do Ah know y'all weren't working together? Ah don't. If y'aint helpin' me, yer helpin' them." Applejack's words were stern but calm. She had planned all of this out. She cocked her head to the sounds of slamming doors and the violent searching Big Macintosh and JackSlap were busy conducting. They were searching for any proof that the party mare had been making or selling the pink cakes. "Y'all find anythin' yet?"

"Not yet, boss. If it's here, we'll find it," JackSlap called from the bedroom as another loud cracking noise resounded.

"Ah thought we were friends, Pinkie Pie? How could you do this?" Applejack moved before the restrained earth pony.

Pinkie had a few streaks where tears had escaped her eyes. She looked sadly to Applejack and silently hoped the stallions would somehow miss her saddlebags between the couch and the wall. She only needed tonight before this nightmare would end. She turned her head to her pegasus friend and saw the terror in her expression. Shy was panicking. Their lives were in terrible danger, but they weren't over yet. "It's okay, Flutters. It's a mistake … Once they see we're innocent, they'll leave us alone, right Applejack?" Her voice sounded hopeful but scared.

Applejack wanted to believe Pinkie Pie. She really did. If they didn't find anything, she would scare her but wouldn't kill her. Secretly the cow-mare hoped her enforcers would come up empty hooved. "Ah'm not making any promises, Pinkie. If ya want leniency why not just tell me where the drugs are?"

Twilight began to cry and moved toward Applejack. "Please … I've been here so many times. I haven't ever seen anything. You're scaring me. You're scaring them. There's nothing here."

"Twilight, Ah want to believe that. Don't you get it? Of course not … If they are tellin' the truth. If they ain't been making drugs and cuttin' into my business then Ah'm in the wrong and everything will be fine. If they're lyin' to me Ah'll look weak lettin' 'em go. If Ah look weak another gang will come to Sweet Apple Acres an' burn it down! Ah know you believe in the magic of friendship but there ain't no friendship in Ponyville anymore. There's only business. It's dog eat dog an' this dog is at the top of the heap right now. My family can't afford to look weak. Ah ain't losin' anymore of mah family, Twilight." Applejack's expression looked a little sad for a moment and then it turned hard again. She stared Twilight down. "This ain't Canterlot, Twi. Nopony gives a buck about us. We have ta take care of ourselves."

Fluttershy squeaked, tears running down her face. Applejack had said she would be lenient if they told her about the drugs. She didn't want to see Pinkie hurt. She decided to try and reason with Applejack."App-Applejack. Will you let us go if I tell you …"

"Fluttershy! No! Be quiet!" Pinkie turned her head to face Shy again. She knew it was a trick. She didn't want Fluttershy to reveal anything. If they didn't find proof they would leave them alone most likely. If Shy told Applejack about the saddlebags, it would doom the two of them. Applejack would have no mercy.

"Pinkie, keep your tongue still or Ah'll cut it out and feed it to ya." Applejack moved over to look into Fluttershy's eyes. "What, Shy? Did you want to tell me where the drugs are?"

Shy was scared to death. She had feared this day would come since she moved in with Pinkie Pie. All she wanted was to be allowed to move away with Pinkie and to have a life with her. "Will you let us go if I tell you?"

"Shy! No!" Pinkie was quickly silenced by a hard backhoof from Applejack. Twilight gasped.

"Don't hurt her, Applejack," Fluttershy cried softly and sobbed as Pinkie's mouth dribbled blood. "She didn't want to hurt you. She just wanted to make enough money for us to be able to be happy. She didn't want to make them … She had to so we could start this business. Please don't hit her again. We're supposed to leave for Canterlot tonight. We'll never come back. Please … The drugs and equipment are in her saddlebags behind the couch. We … we were going to sell them to Golden Harvest for the last bits we needed to move to Canterlot." Fluttershy cried hard, but she hoped Applejack would be reasonable now.

Big Macintosh heard the whole confession and quickly moved to the couch, checking behind it and pulling the larger saddlebags from their hiding spot. He looked at AJ and opened one side, dumping more than a dozen little pink cakes onto the floor. He looked up angrily and nodded. "Eeyup."

JackSlap came from the bedroom, just beside Big Mac and smirked at all the Pink Dreamz lying on the floor. "So, I guess we get to go to work on them now, boss?"

Pinkie looked pitifully at Fluttershy. She was certain their lives were going to end painfully now. Try as she might, she couldn't be angry with her friend. Shy was only trying to help them, but had doomed them instead. She trusted too easily.

Twilight held her breath and waited to hear Applejack's answer. She assumed that any kind of work JackSlap wanted to do would be violent and cruel.

"No … Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy," Applejack's voice was serious and cold. She meant business. This was important, her heart ached from losing Dash and her softer side was still dominating her emotions. She knew she couldn't be an effective leader in such a state. She needed to get back to business. She had to stop letting her feelings control her thoughts. She could tell them to get on their train and leave forever, but that would show her frailty to her brother and her enforcer. Word would get out. The gangs would see her as ripe for the plucking and they would come. She knew they would come. They would kill her family and rape her younger sister. They would use her as well and kill her after tormenting her with the sight of seeing her family and home destroyed. She had prevented Sweet Apple Acres' destruction once and she knew she was the only one who could do it again. This choice was hers, but was it worth risking her family and home to let two friends who had betrayed her go free?

Big Macintosh saw the struggle in Applejack's eyes and wondered what she was thinking. JackSlap was all too right. AJ wasn't the firm leader she had been a few months ago. Something had softened her or made her somewhat crazy. He feared for the Family and feared for his sister. They all needed her to be strong. He eagerly awaited her decision, but he planned on making sure these two didn't escape no matter what she chose.

"Jackslap … They need to be taught a lesson. Do what you want, but hurry. Ah want ta go home." The monster inside of Applejack reared its ugly head and began consuming the softness that had filled her heart for the last week. It ate her love for Rainbow Dash and filled the mare with cold, hard feelings. She would be capable of making the hard decisions again.

"NO! Applejack, they were leaving anyway! Just let them go. Nopony will ever know what happened! Don't hurt them, please!" Twilight begged the orange earth pony as JackSlap cut the bindings from Pinkie Pie and pushed his gun to her head.

"Now I'm finally going to have at that round fat ass, giggles. Let's see how much you laugh about that." JackSlap was crude and cruel. He heard Pinkie begin pleading for mercy, but he had none to give.

"JackSlap. Yer not gonna do that to her. Y'all know how I feel about that." Applejack did not like rape. It was something she rarely let her enforcers do as a punishment. Sometimes the act could break a pony for information but even then, she despised it. Pinkie and Shy needed to be examples, but they were not going to be subjected to that kind of action. She wanted to be finished with this business and return home. JackSlap having his "fun" would only draw things out.

"But Boss, she …"

"Ah said no!"

Fluttershy had begun to beg Applejack, pleading with her for mercy. She tried to hold her to the leniency she had promised, but Applejack pushed her words away. She had heard it all before. She focused on Twilight. "Twilight! Shut up! Y'all are the only pony outside of the Family Ah trust. Ya better get used to this kind of stuff right quick. Yer part of us now." Applejack allowed for no objection, but Twilight objected anyway.

"I don't want to be your friend if this is what you do to them! You are just going to let this maniac kill them?" Twilight's eyes streamed tears and she just could not believe her friend was this cruel.

"Twilight, Ah'm doin' this to protect mah family. I know this is hard for ya, bein' from Canterlot and all, but if not for me ya would have been killed. Ah let ya stay in mah home and let ya study the friendships of others ta find out if Ah could trust ya. Ah can't let ya go. Ah never could. Yer here for the rest of yer life. It could be a long time or it could end right now, but one way or another yer here for good. Now choose." Applejack pointed her gun directly at Twilight's head once more, ready to end her life right then if she chose it.

Twilight heard Pinkie's cry as JackSlap slapped her roughly, wanting to take her dignity and angry at being denied. She felt the terror washing over her. She didn't want to die. Her life was going to be big. She looked to the floor and thought for a moment. If she could just figure out the magic of friendship, she could change everything. That was it! She would have to bide her time. She would buy herself enough time to master the friendship magic she had begun to unfurl and she could change everything! She looked over to see JackSlap landing a blow on Pinkie with a sickening thump. Pinkie cried out and bled from her cheek from the gash he had opened. Twilight refocused her thoughts. Others had endured terrible trials in order to pursue their magical discoveries and she would be no different. She would survive this dark time of her life and discover what she needed to for her assignment. It was more than an assignment now; it was a necessity. This town needed Twilight's help and she would persevere and save them all. She couldn't die now. Slowly she looked back up to Applejack, staring at the gun. "Don't shoot, Applejack."

Applejack nodded, a small smirk on her face. She would post a guard to watch the mare in case she tried to sneak away, but she thought Twilight would stay. If not for sure now, in a few moments she would seal Twilight to her and make damn sure that the mare didn't have the guts to tell Celestia what she had taken part in. "Good. Let the boys work here. You and I will wait outside."

Applejack led Twilight outside and Big Macintosh walked up to Fluttershy. He grinned down at the helpless mare, taking great pleasure in her fear and tears. He brought his heavy hoof down to smash into her muzzle, exploding blood from it as she shouted in pain.

JackSlap watched his boss exit and waited until he was certain she wouldn't return back inside. He smirked and cut the pink pony free, ordering her to lie on her forelegs and keep her rump in the air. "Mac, I know the boss said not to, but I'm taking this bitch. She bucking deserves it for all the dumb crap I had to hear her talk about every single day while Twilight visited her."

Big Mac usually didn't disobey his sister, but he believed in breaking those who dared rise against his family. If JackSlap wanted to take pleasure out of the mare while making her last moments a nightmare, Mac was fine with it.

Pinkie reeled and spit a wad of bloody saliva into JackSlap's face, streaking it with filth. "Buck you!" She was repulsed by the thought of the nasty green pony taking her. She bared her teeth at him and earned another hard punch. She saw stars and nearly went unconscious. JackSlap easily turned her about the way he wanted and mounted her before the world stopped rotating around her.

"You love that, don't you bitch? I know you have wanted it for so long. It's okay. You are getting it now," JackSlap whispered into Pinkie's ear as he ground into her body. Pinkie groaned as she was held down and taken advantage of by JackSlap. Her body hurt from the forced entry and she screamed loudly, but it wasn't until she heard Fluttershy being pummeled that she fought back with all her strength. She had to save her friend. If one of them was going to survive it, would be Flutters. She didn't deserve any of this. It wasn't Shy who made the drugs.

Pinkie looked for an opportunity and grudgingly accepted what JackSlap was doing to her in the meantime. She hoped he would make a mistake and he eventually did. JackSlap had her forelegs spread out before her and was watching them closely for signs of struggle, but not her back legs. She saw her moment and kicked with her rear legs, catching JackSlap at a weird angle and causing him to slip out and away from her. He had been so caught up in whispering disgusting things in her ear that he felt he had completely dominated her. But, Pinkie proved him wrong as he crashed hard against the wall behind him, his gun falling to the floor a few feet away from him.

Pinkie leapt for the gun and quickly fit her hoof into the specially designed harness; the slightest twitch of the right muscle and the gun would fire. She aimed it at the large red stallion beating up on Fluttershy. "Stop hitting her!" Her eyes were fire and she had nothing to lose. She would have already filled him full of holes, but that would bring Applejack back into the building. She needed Fluttershy free of her bonds before she could attract any more attention. They might still be able to leave. Her body ached and she shook from the violation the nasty green pony had forced onto her, but she was still alive for the moment.

Big Macintosh turned to see the pink mare holding a gun right at him. He growled angrily, but stepped away from the pegasus, revealing her bloody head rolling back and forth and simpering in pain.

Pinkie's heart ached and she nearly fired the gun as she saw the mess Fluttershy's face had become. The stallion had only gotten in a few good strikes, but it had split Shy's poor face in several places and she was bleeding badly, only dimly aware of her surroundings. "Cut her loose, you monster! Cut her loose or I'll fill you full of holes!"

Big Mac saw JackSlap stirring and moving to tackle the pink pony. Mac pulled his knife from his bags and bought Jack time to act. He began cutting the ropes that held the pegasus.

Pinkie shook and tears dripped down her cheeks. "You hurt her again and you're finished, Macintosh. Don't you dare touch her!" Pinkie watched as the ropes began to loosen and fall away from her captive friend. Her mind raced and she tried to think of a way out of this predicament. She barely caught the motion from her right as JackSlap lunged with a blade in his mouth, aiming to slash into Pinkie's stomach.

The party pony's hyperactivity helped her jump back from the attack, firing the gun at JackSlap but missing. She rolled and brought the gun up again, but JackSlap had managed to scramble away and another gun went off loudly.

In the moment Pinkie had taken her attention from Big Mac, he had slipped his gun back around his hoof and fired the heavy gun directly into the Pink mare's abdomen, causing her to fall to the floor

Pinkie Pie's hip felt as if it had burst into a gout of flame. The shock from the large bullet racked her body. She cried out, but fired back towards Big Macintosh, her vision blurred from the screaming in her hip. It felt as if a cannon ball was lodged inside of her tummy. She fired several shots with her gun, aiming away from Fluttershy, but desperate to drive the stallions away.

JackSlap ducked and scrambled for the door. He felt the wind from one of the bullets as it streaked by his head. He kicked the front door open and dove into the street, coming to a rest before his boss' hooves.

Applejack growled and opened her saddlebag. She had brought something special for this. She meant to make this look like an accident if she could. She grumbled and kicked JackSlap away from her. "Mac better be okay, JackSlap. If you abandoned him in there and he gets hurt y'all are gonna regret it."

Big Macintosh let his magnum revolver belch bullets again. Pinkie had rolled away from his direct sight, but he kept her pinned down as he backed towards the exit. They could always pick them off when they tried to escape the house, plus he knew he had scored a hit on the mare. She wouldn't last very long with one of his .357 rounds buried in her guts. She would be easy to pick off if she tried to escape. Not that it was likely to come to that—he knew what Applejack had brought with her and just needed to get outside.

Big Mac quickly turned and ran for the door; another shot went off behind him just as he cleared the threshold. It had been another miss and he was grateful for it. Now the fun would really begin.

Big Macintosh ran to the others and stopped, turning with his gun ready if the mare somehow followed him. "Got her in the belly, AJ. She won't last long."

Twilight lowered her head and cried, "Did this have to happen?"

Applejack smirked at Twilight. "Yes. It did. We can't let anypony try an' walk over the Apples. Keep that gun on the door, Mac. Let me get this thing ready."

Applejack shoved the strip of cloth down the neck of the bottle of whiskey and watched as the brown liquid soaked into the cloth.

Pinkie Pie dragged herself with her front legs. Her back legs barely moved from the gunshot in her tummy. She howled in agony as she pulled herself towards Fluttershy, still loosely bound to the chair, but coming out of her stupor.

"Pink … Pinkie …" her voice was weak and her head felt unnaturally heavy as the fog slipped away.

"I'm coming, Shy. You'll be all right. We'll still get out of this. We're not finished yet." The crawl was arduous and painful; Pinkie left long streaks of blood from her wound as she made the last few feet. She hurt so badly. Applejack had tricked Shy into telling her about the drugs. If Shy could have kept quiet, they might have gotten out of this intact. She couldn't blame her weak-willed friend, though. She was doing what she thought was best for them. Pinkie breathed heavily and tugged at the ropes still holding Shy to the chair, many were cut but most were still keeping the mare strapped down.

"Pinkie… Are you okay?" Shy's voice gathered a little more strength as she returned fully to her surroundings and looked down to the crawling pink pony. She saw the bloody trail of her crawl and gaping hole in her back. The pegasus gasped, tears streaming from her eyes. "You're hurt, Pinkie."

"I'll be okay. We have to get you free. We don't have much time." Pinkie tugged at the ropes and then something caught her eye lying within reach, a knife. Mac must have dropped it when he went for his gun. A small hopeful smile crept along Pinkie's lips and she pulled the blade to her mouth and began slicing at the ropes. She had to hurry. It wouldn't be long before Applejack tried something else. They might be able to escape out of the back door if they hurried.

"Finished." Applejack grinned at the Molohoov cocktail she had put together and fished for her matches, pulling them out with her teeth and using her hooves to open the sliding compartment. She plucked one from the box and struck it along the side, a sudden sniff of sulfur and a reddish ignition left a slender yellow flame burning at the end of the thin stick match. She touched the cloth hanging from the bottle and waited until it caught fire before tossing the match. The Apple mare smirked and looked to Twilight. The unicorn was shaking visibly and had been pushed to a point she had never experienced before. She still had one more duty to perform this night. "Twilight, pick it up with your magic."

Twilight was jarred from her thoughts and she turned to face Applejack, her expression one of fear and uncertainty. "What?" Her voice trembled on the night air as she spoke.

"Pick up the firebomb with your magic," Applejack replied curtly.

Twilight looked down at the flaming bottle of alcohol and surrounded it with her magic, her horn encased in purplish magical glow. She lifted the bottle a few feet away from them, afraid it would blow up at any second. "Okay …"

"Throw it into Sugar Cube Corner."

"What? No … I can't, Applejack. I can't do that." Twilight couldn't think of burning down a building, let alone a building with a pair of her friends inside of it.

"Twilight. This is yer test. If you do it Ah'll take care of ya, an' make ya a real member of the Apple Family. If ya don't do it ah'm gonna shoot ya in the head and throw it in mahself. Ah don't want ta have to hurt ya. Ah've lost enough friends for one day, but Ah will if ya don't do it." Applejack slipped her hoofgun on once more and hefted it between herself and the unicorn.

Twilight sadly looked at the bottle floating before her. Many sacrifices had been made in the past for the pursuit of magic. She could only hope that it would all be worth it in the end. She sighed and gave a sad look as she brought the bottle over the group, gaining momentum for her toss. "I'm sorry, Pinkie. I'm sorry, Fluttershy."

The bottle soared through the air with a wafting hiss and smashed on its flight of destruction through a window on the front of Sugar Cube Corner.

Pinkie had just about finished slicing the ropes when the window broke apart and a sudden explosion went off directly behind Fluttershy. A rush of heat stole Pinkie's breath and she cried out. She heard the roar of the flames as the blazing liquid spread rapidly across the floor and across Fluttershy's back.

Fluttershy howled as the flames engulfed her from behind. She struggled in her chair and thrashed wildly, knocking the chair and herself over. She found herself eye to eye with Pinkie Pie. Her back and legs were alight and she screamed wildly for help. "PINKIE! PLEASE! HELP ME! HELP ME!"

Pinkie panicked and dragged herself across her friend, beating at the flames with her hooves, her own coat smoldering and beginning to catch fire as well. The smell of Fluttershy's scorching coat and skin filled her nostrils and she nearly vomited from the awful stench. "I'm trying, Shy! I'm trying!"

Fluttershy was in immense pain and the fire was spreading across the bakery. She screamed and tried to roll, but the ropes hadn't burnt through just yet. She felt her skin melting and the fire caught her pink mane, setting it into a small inferno. She saw Pinkie fall away from her, beating at her own mane, trying to put it out with her hooves.

Even through her agony, Fluttershy knew that she wasn't going to make it. Her life was over, but Pinkie might still get away. It was a long shot considering her nasty wound, but it was better than Shy's chances. Tears filled her eyes and she screamed at Pinkie. "Save yourself! I'm gone, Pinkie! Get out! Get out! Please! Get out!"

Pinkie managed to extinguish her mane and Fluttershy's screaming drew her attention back to the flaming pegasus. She wanted Pinkie to leave her, to try and escape on her own. Pinkie saw the raging fire around them and shook her head. "No! We'll die together, Shy! I won't leave you!"

The roar of the fire made it hard to hear, but Fluttershy knew what Pinkie had said. She tried to roll, but was still fastened to the piece of furniture. "Save yourself! You can make it! Do it for me! Please! Go! GO! GOOO!" The heat was too much to bear and Fluttershy's skin pulled apart revealing the glistening flesh beneath. Her face's skin pulled apart like plastic as well just as she went still, the flames riding atop her motionless form.

Pinkie screamed as Shy stopped moving. Her selfless friend had wanted her to try and escape. She didn't think she had a chance, but she owed it to Shy to try. The fire was out of control and most of their home was blazing, but she might still make it to the back door if she hurried. The path wasn't clear, but there was a path. She pulled herself along with her forelegs, dragging the rest of her body behind.

The pink party pony didn't feel pain anymore; her adrenaline was killing anything that might distract her body from attempting to survive. Pinkie pulled her body along. She cleared the den and felt the warm tiles of the kitchen floor. The fire hadn't touched much of the floor, but the walls and ceiling plumed in gouts of orange and yellow tongues. Smoke filled the air and, even though Pinkie was low to the ground, she still inhaled the thick, suffocating black fumes. Her lungs rejected the toxic smoke and she coughed almost constantly as she pulled herself along, still leaving thick red streaks of blood behind her.

Pinkie was almost at the back door that led from the kitchen. She was reaching the last few feet when a sudden sharp crack came from behind her. One of the beams that supported the roof had burned through and fallen into a smoldering mess, blocking the den completely, kicking up more noxious smoke, and obscuring the pained pink pony's vision. She couldn't help but breathe the toxic fumes deeply into her lungs and her body nearly passed out from the lack of oxygen. Somehow, she managed to stay conscious and placed one hoof in front of the other, straining her muscles for a few more inches.

The persistent pink pony reached up with one hoof and slapped at the door handle. She just had to pull it down and it would open into the back alley full of cool, clean air. Pinkie tried again and hooked her hoof in the bar of the handle. She tugged as hard as she could and felt the bolt click out of place. The door swung out, revealing the alleyway. Her lungs savored the first breath of clean air but, just as she placed her hoof to pull herself from the burning building, the roof of the kitchen completely collapsed, trapping Pinkie under roiling beams of flame. Before the darkness took her, she felt the flesh of her face and back melting from the intense heat. It was excruciating for only a moment before her eyes rolled in their sockets and the world went black.

In the front of Sugar Cube Corner, the Apples laughed and encouraged the fire with cheers. Applejack put a hoof around Twilight's shoulder and grinned.

Twilight watched the roaring fire consume the building where her friends had lived. She knew she heard screaming coming from building as it was razed. They were the screams of her friends dying horribly. She had tossed that firebomb into her friends' home and had given them what had to be one of the worst deaths she could imagine.

Twilight could only watch, stuck in place by sheer horror at what she had done. She barely flinched when Applejack placed her foreleg around her shoulder in a friendly manner. Tears rolled from her eyes and she felt sick when Applejack spoke her next words.

"Welcome to the Family, Twilight."


	18. Intermission II: Letter to Celestia

Princess Celestia,

I've done something horrible. This place is not what I thought it was. I don't know what to do to help it and I feel terrible. I've seen my friends turn against one another. Not only that, but … Princess, I killed two of my best friends. I burned them alive. Their screams haunt my dreams at night and my memories while your sun rolls in the sky. I can still hear their cries of agony and the roar of the flames as it devoured the building. I … I can't help but see them, their bodies sizzling from the grease of their flesh as it fries in the heat. They struggle in vain to escape the fire, reaching helplessly in an attempt to escape. Their movements slowing as the stench of burning mane and flesh fills the air. They're inescapable, the odor and screams …

Let me gather my thoughts and try to explain …

Applejack distributes illicit substances. The whole apple harvesting business is a fake. Apparently, everypony knows what she does, but they didn't tell me. They let me think she was a kind and benevolent pony, but she just acted that way to keep me in the dark. She thought I was sent from Canterlot to gather information against her. That's why she let me stay, to figure out what I was doing and to … silence me. I'm sure she would have killed me if I had been a spy. If she saw this letter, I'd certainly not survive. She would take me to a shed, tie me up, and beat me to death. She'd take her time in killing me. She'd probably enjoy it despite how she tells me that I am her closest friend. The look in her eyes when she held me at gunpoint and made me throw that bomb into Sugar Cube Corner, it gives me chills. I could see right into her soul … she was enjoying it. She was enjoying making me kill Pinkie and Fluttershy. Her grin was sickening when the screaming started. We stood out in front of the razing building for a while, I don't know how long really, it felt like an eternity. I never thought we would leave. It was like a nightmare that wouldn't end. I just kept thinking that I would wake up shortly; springing up in the bed with my heart beating rapidly but comforted with the knowledge that it was just a horribly vivid dream. Of course, that wasn't the case…

Why? It turns out that even Pinkie and Fluttershy, my closest friends, were manufacturing another type of drug and selling it to a rival group of Applejack's. They promised that they were stopping, that they were leaving that very night and Applejack would never see them again. It didn't matter. She set her thugs on them and, once they were thoroughly beaten and injured, she made me finish them off.

Friendship? Is this what friendship is, Princess? Am I supposed to trust Applejack after all of the lies? After what she … I did to Pinkie and Shy? A friend is supposed to love and support, but how can I support this? How can I love Applejack?

I suppose I have no choice. I live with Applejack still. She won't let me leave. Even if I did, where would I go? I can't come back to Canterlot after this. I couldn't be your pupil any longer. I don't deserve it. Applejack made me her advisor, telling me that I had a role to fill now that I was part of her Family. I have no choice but to remain at Sweet Apple Acres and assist Applejack with my intelligence. Maybe I can sway her from more murders, but I doubt it. Not after I witnessed how much she enjoyed it. I could always kill myself. It might be what is best after the sins I have committed. There's still the magic of friendship, I suppose. Somewhere there must be real friendships, one's that are not based on lies and deceit. If I can search it out, I may be able to help of the ponies in Ponyville. Maybe I can even redeem Applejack and the other Apples. I don't know if it can happen, but I will try. I don't want to end my own life, Princess. I get the feeling that I won't have to. Eventually, I will anger Applejack or somepony else and find myself a victim of this place.

I've failed your test, but maybe I can still do some good. If I try my hardest, I may be able to salvage what little good there is in this town and find my way back home. It's the only hope I have left.

Your Student,

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight looked at the letter she had just written, her eyes floating in tears, and understood that there was no possible way she could actually send it to her teacher. She couldn't face Celestia after what she had done. In some ways, just writing it had eased her suffering, but she knew there was much more pain to be had. Her horn flickered with purplish energy as the paper crumpled into a neat ball and magically caught fire.


	19. Rebirth Through Fire

Segment 3: Chapter 1

Pain. Pain is a virtue, a necessary learning condition of all beings. Pain is the teacher, the lesson that guides our paths and enforces behaviors on the most base of intellect. It hurts—don't do that again. Pain is beneficial to survival, a well-meaning reminder that certain acts are a detriment to the health of the being. Sometimes, however, pain can be overwhelming, far too cruel and sadistic. The merciless side of pain can warp a being, change it, twist it to a new, deranged, thing—an abomination where a compassionate being once stood.

Pain can come in various forms, physical, emotional, and mental. Physically it can subdue the senses and wreak its will upon a body, draw it up and throttle it. Emotionally it can deaden and make hollow a warm and caring heart. Mentally it rearranges priorities and unhinges the mind from reality. Each of these, by itself, can be debilitating and socially crippling, but when the three combine, it creates a thing much worse. It creates a venomous beast bent on revenge and absolved from social regulations. At least, in this case… *** Ka-thump.

Ka-thump.

"Doctor, what happened to her?"

Ka-thump.

"I don't know. The receptionist found her abandoned in front of the emergency room. I'm going to need help with this one. She's really messed up. Severe abdominal trauma and third degree burns all across her body."

Ka-thump.

Ka-thump.

"… don't know who she is. Cutie mark is burned away."

Ka-thump.

"… lost so much blood. Another bag of O-negative—hurry, Nurse! Vital signs … Ka-…

…

…

Ka-thump.

"… she was gone there. I'm not losing her. We're almost finished here."

"Doctor, she … she's got my leg! She's hurting me!"

Ka-thump.

"She can't possibly be waking up. Quick—sedate her. It has to be an autonomic response; she can't be stirring on her own."

Ka-thump.

Ka-thump.

Ka-thump.

"Sedated. How's your leg, Shining Hope?"

"It's fine … just scared me mostly."

Ka-thump.

"It's done. Everything we can do is done. She's lost a lot of blood and had so much trauma. I don't know if she will survive. I don't know if I would want to wake up if I were her. Whatever happened must have been right out of a horror movie. Have the Royal Guard showed up? Maybe they can answer some questions."

Ka-thump …

Ka-thump …

Ka-thump …

"Her signs are strong, but there is little brain activity."

"She's in a coma. Who knows when or if she'll wake up. She must be dreaming. I hope they're pleasant dreams; her nightmares will start when she wakes up."

Ka-thump.

Ka-thump.

Ka-thump …

Applejack's grin was wide enough to show teeth; all and all it was almost a horrific expression. Her eyes darted across the papers she held in her hooves and more teeth joined the view as her lips pulled upward into a smile. Twilight looked away, disgusted and somewhat afraid of what could make Applejack so happy. Whatever it was, it meant more ponies were hurting and Twilight had had quite enough of that.

"Yeehaw, tha numbers are still movin' up. Sales are higher than they have been in months. Seems like Pink Dreamz is finally used up an' nopony else knows how to make it." Applejack leaned back in her chair smugly, propping her hooves up on her desk.

"Great, Boss. Nopony can hold you back, not for long," JackSlap stroked Applejack's ego. With that pink bitch gone, ponies had been coming back to their old addictions—Sweets being the foremost one of them—and Applejack was acting more and more like the way she should. No more red eyes, no more half-assed punishments, and no more delays when it came to hard decisions. It was nice having the boss back.

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh chimed in, much for the same reason. He was reinforcing his pleasure at A.J.'s return to sanity. He still had his doubts about what Rainbow Dash had confessed, but he let them go, not wanting to dwell on them. Applejack was back and that meant the Apple Family was whole again. As long as she kept her head on straight, Big Mac didn't care what had gone on between his younger sister and the blue pegasus. Dash was worm chow now anyway; any indiscretions she knew about were buried.

Twilight looked out of the window of Applejack's office. Great, she thought, an addictive, mind killing, substance is being consumed at a higher rate. She sighed inwardly. She needed to get back to work on the magic of friendship, but Applejack had made Twi her personal advisor. She assumed it was to keep an eye on her so she wouldn't try and make a break for Canterlot. It wasn't necessary. What would happen if she was to escape and go before Celestia with her story? "Princess Celestia, I helped create addictive, illegal, substances to feed to the economically downtrodden ponies of Ponyville. Oh, I also killed two of my best friends by burning them alive." That would be great. Failing her assignment and admitting to manufacturing and distributing illicit substances and murder—Princess Celestia would have nothing but the highest opinion her after that.

Twilight saw Sweetie Belle through the window. The filly was looking up at one of the few living apple trees while Apple Bloom explained something to her. At one point, Twilight would have taken much pleasure from the scene, her heart warming softly from the friendship of the fillies. Instead, her heart sank. Twilight had a feeling that Scootaloo's disappearance had something to do with Sweetie. The two had been having some kind of an argument and Sweetie had been pretty badly beaten up. Twi didn't buy the "I fell down the stairs" excuse after the events at Sugar Cube Corner. To tell the truth, Twilight had begun to question much of what had gone on around the farm. Rainbow Dash wasn't sick; she was addicted to Sweets and had overdosed and died. Applejack had been lying to her and keeping her prisoner, unbeknownst to Twi, since she had been on the farm. At least Spike had escaped. Maybe he would tell the princess, but secretly Twilight hoped he didn't. She didn't know if she could straighten out Ponyville but it was her only hope of returning to Canterlot. Friendship would have to hold some very powerful secrets in order to rectify the horror of Ponyville, she thought, her minimal hopes fading. Worse yet, those she had thought of as her friends were proven liars, murderers, drug pushers, or were dead. A deep sigh escaped her as she closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the pane of glass, its cool temperature soothing to the touch.

Applejack caught Twilight's body language and felt a pang of regret infiltrate her mirth. She talked for a few minutes more to her brother and her enforcer about business related functions and dismissed them. She leaned back in her chair and watched the lavender mare at the window. A.J. read Twilight like an open book with large print. Twilight was straining under the pressure of what she had done and the dawning of what Sweet Apple Acres truly was. A.J. was certain that Twilight hated her for what she had made her do, but it was the only way to bring her into the Apple Family. If Twilight wanted to live she would have to do her duty and belong to the Family. It was a gamble, but she didn't want Twilight dead.

During her stay, Twi had become Applejack's friend. Until Dash had fought her way back from the depths, she had been the only friend Applejack had. A.J. didn't really like breaking the mare, but she had done so anyway. Now, Twilight would slowly give up her ridiculous task and take up the responsibility that Dash had abandoned with her death. In fact, A.J.'s eyes scanned the flank of the unicorn and a small, pleasing grin played on her lips. She just might fill more of Rainbow's void than A.J. originally thought.

"Twilight, Ah wanna talk to ya," Applejack's accented voice broke Twilight's concentration and the unicorn turned questioningly. She realized that JackSlap and Big Mac were no longer in the room and grimaced.

"I'm sorry, Applejack. I just got lost in thought. I'll go."

"Ah don't want ya ta go, Twi. We need ta talk. We haven't really spoken much since Sugar Cube Corner." Applejack's voice was strong but tinted with concern. She broke a small smile and waved Twilight towards her.

The mention of Sugar Cube Corner brought memories back to the magical mare and she turned her head to the floor as she slowly walked to the front of Applejack's desk. What did A.J. want to hurt her with now? What else could she do to her? Her long face tilted up as she brought her purple eyes to meet Applejack's gaze.

"Listen Twilight, Ah know yer troubled with what we did out there in Ponyville. Ah know yer mad at me fer not tellin' ya the truth about what was goin' on at the farm. Ya got ta understand, sugar cube. Ah couldn' tell ya and Ah couldn't let ya go. Yer my friend. Ya probably don't believe that, but it's true. Ah care about ya and Ah don't want ya ta be sore. It was this way or Ah would have had ta kill ya." A.J.'s voice was soothing and mildly soft. She had let the silence go on too long, but she was leaving time for Twilight to adjust.

Twilight was a stronger pony than she seemed. A.J. had worried for quite a while that she might buckle from the pressure. During the first couple of weeks it wouldn't have come as a surprise if Twilight had gone insane or killed herself, but she had not. She had dealt with her emotions and when A.J. told her that she would be her new advisor, she had appeared at meetings. She still hadn't offered any advice or done any family business, but she was making some effort to move forward. That strength reminded A.J. of Dash. Queer thoughts played through her mind and some of those old urges emerged.

Twilight turned her head to the side. Was this supposed to be some sort of apology? Applejack was talking in niceties as if she had done Twilight some kind of favor, as if having her burn Pinkie and Fluttershy alive was such a nice thing. Twilight wished she had let Applejack shoot her instead of throwing that firebomb into her friends' home. At least she wouldn't feel so badly. It would have all been over in an instant and she would have been able to keep her sense of self. As it was, she was just as much of a monster as the orange mare before her. She tried not to think about what she had done, but it was difficult. There was no magic that could revive the dead, but she might be able to atone for her sins if she could just continue her studies. Her voice was sad and cynical, "You made me kill Pinkie and Fluttershy, Applejack. Is that what you do to your friends?"

A.J.'s brow furrowed and the smile on her lips fell away. "They asked for it, Twilight. Don't ya get it? They were hurtin' mah family."

"How? By making a living for themselves? For wanting a better life?" Twilight suddenly felt angry and forgot herself.

Applejack fought the ire working inside of her and remained calm, "If they wanted a better life, they could have come ta me. They didn't need ta compete with me. What they did was make me look weak. Ah can't let that happen, Twi. Y'all just don't understand. There ain't no friends in this business."

Twilight dripped tears down her cheeks and her voice snapped from the strong emotions eating through her mind like worms. "Good! I'm not your friend! I hate you, Applejack! I hate what you made me do!" The purple unicorn fled the room, her ears deaf to the calls of the orange mare as she escaped from the office. She needed to be alone. She needed to think; her life was ruined and she didn't know how to escape the guilt that devoured her waking moments.

Applejack sighed and went back to her business. Twilight would need more time before she could become productive in the business. Goody horseshoes like her were hard to break. It would happen, though. Eventually she would see the desperate situation in which she was mired and her scruples would dissolve, just as Applejack's had.

Sweetie's wounds had almost healed completely. Her pale-coated face shone brilliantly in the midday sun and her curled mane bounced as if on a tender spring above her soft featured face. She had made a full recovery except for one detail; the white of her damaged eye still appeared to be full of blood. The blood vessels had not repaired themselves, leaving her with one crimson orb where the innocent white once dwelled. It suited her thoughts. The days of gentle Sweetie were waning, corrupted by the murder of Spike and thoughts of revenge against the pegasus, Scootaloo. Sweetie was losing control of her thoughts, becoming engorged with pain, death, and sadistic pleasure. She plodded beside the bouncing Apple Bloom on a routine tree check, her thoughts turning from the mundane task to the joy of Scootaloo's horrific understanding of what happened to her parents. It made Sweetie tingle down through her hooves and she, unknowingly, let out a soft and mirthful chuckle.

Apple Bloom's smile was gentle and friendly. She had been talking about the nitrogen level of the last few trees' soil, prattling off information, more to herself than for the benefit of her friend, but turned happily to regard the smile splayed across Sweetie's face. "Y'all like that the trees are doin' so well, Sweetie? Ah do too. Twilight's a smart pony and Ah'm glad she thought up that concoction to help the trees grow."

Sweetie's thought popped and she realized Apple Bloom was smiling at her, with that blissfully ignorant grin. What an idiot. She had no idea the deeds that occurred on her beloved farm. She really was stupid. "Yeah, sure, Apple Bloom."

"Ah miss Scootaloo. Ah wish she wouldn't have run off. She always liked checking on the trees. Ah guess it's a good thing, though. Ah mean, she got adopted by them rich pegasi from Cloudsdale. She'll be happy. Ah just hope she comes an' visits us." Applejack had told her the lie to make losing Scootaloo easier on Apple Bloom.

Sweetie made a face. "I don't think she'll come see us again. She wasn't exactly fit for farm life." She had chased that butch fool away from the farm and the last thing she wanted was to see her ugly face back on the farm. Then again, if she showed up again, Sweetie could do more than just scare her off. The thought of somehow ending Scootaloo's miserable life made the filly shiver pleasurably.

Sadness crossed Apple Bloom's features and she rebutted Sweetie's words, "Sure, she may not be the best farmer, but she's still our friend. She'll want ta see us again, Ah'm sure. And if she don't, Applejack might let Twilight take us to Cloudsdale ta visit her. Wouldn't that be great? She'd be so surprised when she sees us at her new house with her new family!" The thought of seeing her friend doing so well really brought joy to Apple Bloom. Her pure little heart swelled for Scootaloo's good fortune.

Seeing Apple Bloom smile about Scootaloo shot thorns into Sweetie Belle's mood. She had not been bullied and beaten by that idiotic filly for months to smile and think of good things about her. The pegasus had not been seen since she ran away and Sweetie Belle hoped she had been ponynapped or had gotten lost in the Everfree forest and eaten by the inhabitants. "She wasn't really our friend. She just stayed here because she had nowhere else to go. As soon as she did, she left and didn't even say goodbye. She also used to tell me what she really thought about this place." Sweetie lied to her friend, wanting to destroy Apple Bloom's warm feelings for Scootaloo.

Confused and dour, the young Apple mare stopped in her tracks and sadly looked upon the unicorn filly. "What d'ya mean, 'what she really thought'?"

The urge to lie and corrupt surged through Sweetie and an impish grin fell across her features. "Well, she always said that Applejack was a bumpkin. The whole family was a bunch of hicks. She used to say she hated being on this redneck hovel. She said the incest really showed." The lies rolled off her tongue and she enjoyed the dying happiness in Apple Bloom's eyes.

"Ah … she really said them things?" Apple Bloom felt like crying. She couldn't believe what Sweetie was telling her. She had spent such a long time with Scootaloo and had never suspected that her friend had felt that way about her family or her farm. It seems so … farfetched, but Sweetie didn't just make up stories.

"She told me a lot of things. I didn't want to tell anypony because if Applejack wanted to kick her off the farm she would have had no place to go. She was so rude. No respect at all."

"She did lose her ma and pa, just like me. Ah know how that can make ya feel. It's not really her fault. She probably didn't mean what she said, Sweetie. Ah still have my brother and sister, she had nopony. Her closest friend was Rainbow Dash and she got sick and died. Ah still think she'll come and see us. We're her friends, Sweetie. She won't ferget us like that … even if she said mean things." Apple Bloom had grown up without her parents and had always felt a sort of kinship to Scootaloo because of it. She didn't like what Scootaloo might have said, but she forgave her. Scootaloo had lost much more than Apple Bloom. The country filly was certain Scoots was still her friend and that they would see each other again. It was even possible Sweetie was making this up. She hadn't been the same since she got hurt. She seemed distant sometimes and now and then said something a little snarky. Apple Bloom didn't know what to think, but she was feeling more and more alone with the passing days, especially since Scoots had been adopted. Her thoughts were interrupted by Sweetie Belle's scoffing.

"Rainbow Dash? Those losers were made for each other. Do you know what those two did together while they were 'practicing'? They would …

"Ah don't care, Sweetie Belle! Just stop talkin'!"

Sweetie was stunned by the outburst from Apple Bloom. She had always been the sweetest pony imaginable and had never yelled about anything. A sudden urge to slug the country filly crept through Sweetie's body.

"Scootaloo is my friend and yers too. Ah don't want ta hear anythin' else bad about her. If that's all yer gonna talk about, Ah'll just finish inspectin' these trees by mahself. In fact, go on and leave me alone. Yer bein' awfully mean lately. Ah don't know what's eatin' ya, but ya need to figure it out. Ah know ya got hurt when ya fell down them stairs, but yer all healed up now. Y'all shouldn't be so … so … negative all the time. It ain't like you. Ah'll see ya fer supper, but Ah want to be alone now." Apple Bloom resumed her chores, walking from tree to tree and inspecting them.

Sweetie gritted her teeth and turned away, a tear slipped down her cheek. What had happened? That little bitch had just told her off? The world's most clueless pony had just hurt her feelings? She'd teach that mule, that little do-gooder, that … Sweetie paused in her thoughts; the cruelty painting her mind sloughed down the canvas and disappeared as she thought. She had just turned on Apple Bloom, her closest and best friend. A pony for whom she would do anything. Something … something was wrong. She had known something was wrong for a while. Running Scootaloo away was one thing—she had been defending not only her position and herself, but also her future—but saying such hurtful things to Apple Bloom wasn't all right. Thinking about how to hurt Apple Bloom definitely wasn't right. She needed to be alone. She needed to think. Her thoughts had been of inflicting pain on others a lot lately. Also, she hadn't had that queasy, frightened feeling that thinking of Spike's murder brought to her in a long while. She was becoming Applejack, wasn't she? The pony who made her accessory to Spike's death. The one she had hated afterward. Not only had Sweetie forgiven her, but more alarmingly, she was becoming more like her. She needed to run. She needed to think. Was this her fate? Sweetie's heart raced as panic set in and she bolted from the apple grove.

In the bright afternoon sun, a white unicorn filly ran from herself, seeking a place to be alone, a place to think, a place where her recently haunted mind might find shelter from its ghosts.

In the darkness sat a refrigerator and what lay inside was providence, salvation from the world as she knew it. Pinkie Pie was oppressed by the thick blackness that suffocated her, panicked her mind, and smothered her happiness. Instinctively she knew that the only exit from the darkness was inside of the refrigerator.

She knew what was on the other side, the cupcakes and their grand party. They would be belly flopping into a bowl of gelatin and beckoning her to join them. The party would be the best she had ever attended and it would last for eternity. She didn't know what brought the smoke scented blackness, the scoring heat that pervaded her senses and frightened her terribly, but she knew how to end it.

For some reason the pink pony didn't have the use of her hind legs and pulled herself along with her front hooves, digging into the solid inky darkness before her and tugging with all of her strength for a few extra feet closer to everlasting happiness. She could feel the pitch gripping at her hips and legs, attempting to draw her back but she was too strong. She could make it. One leg after another lurched forward and pulled her heavy frame towards the portal to peace. She suddenly became aware of the drowsiness affecting her form. Her mind felt exhausted and she looked up at the handle to the appliance with drooping eyes. All she needed was to yank the door open and find her rest on the other side.

The long pink leg stretched upward, hooking the handle, and, with the last of her life's energy, pulled the metal door wide, bathing in its blinding light. The pink pony momentarily snapped her eyes closed from the brightness assaulting her. When she opened them again, everything would be as it should be. She would find eternal peace and play with her friends again. She opened her heart to this end and smiled softly, giving herself freely to the final rest that awaited her.

Her eyes opened, expecting eternity but finding … herself. Inside the appliance was the flat haired menace that she had recently struggled to conquer. Her coat shimmered with ice, but her eyes flared brilliantly like blue flames. Her slightly darker pink hair fell around her face, but not enough to hide the savage grin that tore a line across her features like the shredded maw of a paper doll. The lipless tear of frozen shards that was her mouth didn't frighten Pinkie, but seemed natural, like the other side of a coin. Pinkie could see hatred and insanity in that face, the promise of untold terror burning inside those eyes.

Pinkie was so tired; she wouldn't last long. It had taken everything to get here and she couldn't shut the door. This was what she must have been searching for. Gingerly, she reached towards the icy version of herself. She needed rest and this cold creature granted it to her. She heard cracking as the thing broke its icy restraints and reached down to her. Its forelegs were warm despite the frozen layer around it and it pulled her in close, its breath savagely hot and inviting. "Sleep … Pinkamena will make it better. Sleep, my dear."

As Pinkie felt what little energy she had pour from her body, the darkness was forgotten and only the iciness of this strange version of herself could be felt. It was peaceful at last for Pinkie Pie. She felt herself dissolving into nothingness, blissful nothingness, where the parties lasted forever and all of her friends were good and whole again. She smiled softly and welcomed her eternal reward—the end to her tormented journey.

Pinkamena's eyes snapped open, unable to focus on her surroundings as if they hadn't been used in a long while. Her body hurt terribly, swathes of her form felt as if they were on fire and the whole right side of her face seemed to tear and split when she turned her head and grimaced. She coughed and gagged on something stuck down her throat. She immediately recalled that JackSlap was trying to rape her and swung her foreleg before her face, thinking her obstruction was his stallionhood. She would make him pay for knocking her unconscious and taking advantage of her. Her leg screamed as the needles feeding into her veins tore out of her body as she swung. The endotracheal tube was pulled from her airway as her hoof caught it, tearing the taped hose from her mouth, to send it crashing to the floor. Immediately the machines that kept tap on her vital signs began screaming as their associated functions disappeared.

The sound of blaring alarms poured into Pinkamena's ears and she coughed in response to the soreness of her windpipe from where the automated breathing tube had rested. Her eyes seemed to regain functionality and she realized that she was in a hospital bed. Her body ached and spider webbed anguish from the terrible burns that marred her form. Many patches of melted, plastic-looking flesh cracked and bled where soft pink fur used to grow. She didn't have time for that now; she realized that JackSlap was nowhere near her and the events of her last waking moments played through her brain.

Applejack had done this to her. Applejack had murdered Fluttershy and burned Sugar Cube Corner. They had tried to kill her as well, but failed. She should have gone for a gun, shot them all dead and then boarded the train to Canterlot with Fluttershy. Why did she try to be a friend to that evil drug lord? She had allowed them to hurt her. She had allowed them to … kill Fluttershy, the gentlest pony and best friend she had ever known. They had beaten her and burned her alive. The fate from which she had once saved Shy had come to pass, this time not at the hooves of a street gang, but ponies that they had once loved.

"It's too late for me. You have to get out Pinkie! Please!" The last words Fluttershy would ever speak burrowed into Pinkamena's brain. She let out a scream, tears flushing from her eyes in streaks. Fluttershy was gone, their lives together were gone, and all happiness was gone … Why was she alive? Why did she still draw breath in this mutilated body? Anypony should have died from what she went through. The massive breaking of skin, the sickening pain of the bullet wound, and the uncomfortable feel of the machines that were still stuck inside of her body racked her frame with agony. Every movement tore new lines across her barren and molten flesh, forming a tapestry of torment across the marred remains of Pinkamena's body. The pink pony howled, pain and sorrow escaping through her throat, shredding the soft tissue as it tore from the prison of her body.

Her mind filled with unpleasant thoughts, anger, and the anguish of her ripping body. This was why she was alive—punishment. Instead of simply going to the next world, Pinkamena was trapped in her old life to experience the horror of her mangled body. For all of the evil deeds she had done, she would atone through searing flesh and eternal guilt.

No, it wasn't. A hard expression suddenly silenced her aching moans as Pinkamena understood her purpose. She should have died. Nopony should have survived the fire. Something had kept her alive. Revenge. The sweet thought killed the pain that swept her body and allowed her to think clearly. Her life was over, but not finished. She still had something to do—kill Applejack and her family. Pinkamena had tried to have a normal life again, letting happiness and parties fill her mind. Fluttershy had brought her from the pit of her despair, but for what? For Applejack to kill her dreams and her friend? No, she couldn't allow this to be the end. Applejack was the cause of all of Ponyville's distress. She had single hoofedly destroyed the happiness of Ponyville—her and her stupid pride. She could have asked for help; her friends would have come to her rescue, but she had stubbornly sought out the seeds of destruction and sown them. Pinkamena could see the events that led Ponyville to corruption clearly and they began with Applejack. For her beloved home, her foster family, and all of her friends that had left, died, or become addicts, the blame lay on Applejack's stern shoulders. Her best friend Flutters had been the only pony able to resist the new Ponyville and Applejack had come and extinguished the only light in the darkness. Pinkamena knew why she still drew breath, why her body had continued to live despite its massive injuries—to end the corruption, to bring some modicum of justice back to Ponyville, to kill Applejack.

The idea caught like wildfire in her imagination and images of the suffering she would inflict on Applejack flooded her mind, drowning the pain. Within the span of only a few seconds, she had witnessed hundreds of glorious visions of carnage and vengeance. The alarm's high-pitched shriek snapped her from her reverie. Her expression contorted into disdain and she quickly snapped her foreleg out to crash the squawking machine to the floor. Its shriek fell silent and she paused for a moment, her ears perking and turning for the sounds of approaching hooves. Nothing. She didn't know how long her thoughts had kept her occupied and deaf to the blaring alarm, but apparently, it hadn't been long enough to attract any attention.

Feeling safe, she took a moment to look down her body and gauge her situation. She was skinnier than she had been, being fed through a tube in her foreleg probably didn't compare to munching on the sweet confections she had been creating. Much of the fur on her legs, abdomen, and chest was missing, replaced with the plastic-like sheen of pink and brown third degree burns, many of which had split and dribbled crimson droplets down to the sterile sheets of her bed. From her lower legs stuck several tubes delivering medication, but the main thing she focused on was the fecal matter tube that ran from inside of her rump to a bag on the side of the bed. She could see the dark material inside of the semi opaque tube and scrunched her nose at it. Slight movements caused her stomach to turn from the discomfort of the device. It felt as if it were deep inside of her. Almost lost in the discolored flesh was the puckered scar from where Big Mac's heavy bullet had entered her tummy. Most disconcerting was the burn scarring where her cutie mark should have been. For a moment, the pink pony mourned the loss of her balloons that symbolized her talent, but only for a moment. Pinkamena knew the party was over. Pain rotated through her body, but that was something she could grit her teeth through and endure. There was a lot to do before she could let herself rest again.

Pinkamena sat up, her weak body responding slowly to the call of her will. She fell back into the bed twice before forcing herself up to a sitting position while tears formed in her eyes from the painful injuries she had sustained. She breathed deeply, rapidly taking in air and preparing herself for the next step. She needed to escape the hospital and find some shelter so she could plan her course of action, but first she had to get out of this bed.

Pinkamena moved her hips and nearly wretched at the sickening feeling of the tube inside of her. A scowl crossed her face and she pulled herself towards the head of the bed, it felt as if her intestines were abandoning her abdomen as the tube slid partially out of her rectum. She coughed up a mouthful of bile, the only thing in her sadly deflated stomach, and shook violently from the strain. The feeling was disgusting and she wanted to be finished with it. Once again, she pulled with her forelegs, this time getting her back legs underneath her enough to push with them. She felt another wave of nausea take her as she freed herself from the despicable instrument. She felt sore and sick as she sat and gained her center. She didn't have time to waste. She wasn't sure how long she had been kept alive by the machines, but it must have been a good deal of time for her body to feel so pathetic and weak.

A snarl crossed her lips, the right side of her face exploding in searing agony as the scar tissue ripped in erratic patterns. She had had enough of feeling weak. She growled and let her thoughts take hold in her body. Anger was filling her heart and images of Applejack's grinning face clouded her mind. She would regret what she had done. Yes … yes she would. She had fucked up. She should have been sure to finish Pinkie off. Pinkie had been soft and tender, but underneath was Pinkamena, the dark heart where Pinkie hid her fears, pain, and shame. Pinkamena had come forth to help the gentler Pinkie survive in the cold version of Ponyville, but Fluttershy had softened her and pushed her back inside. Inside of Pinkie she still lived, feeding off the rage and sadness. Pinkie had died in the fire, but Pinkamena had stirred and taken the dying body back. She wouldn't let herself die, not until she had her revenge. Pinkamena was back.

"I'll kill you, Applejack … I fucking promise it. I will … kill you!" Her voice came out rough like a coffee can full of nails being shaken. Pinkamena swung her legs over the side of the bed and rolled off. Her hooves met the floor with a clack and her legs wobbled as if they could not bear the strain, but Pinkamena didn't come back from the dead to fail in her quest this early. She forced her legs to stiffen and hold her weight. She took a small step and grimaced from the stiffness of her body. Her joints cracked and rebelled against the sudden use after such a long period of rest. Pinkamena was certain her body would quickly become used to movement again and she wasn't about to go easy on it any longer.

The mauled pink and scarred pony examined the room. She didn't have time for any questioning or rehabilitation the doctors would want her to undertake. She needed to leave and find Golden Harvest. Harvest would help her. If she knew what was good for her, she would definitely help. Pinkamena couldn't take the chance of simply walking out the front door, however. In her state, it would be easy to spot her as a patient. She hauled herself to the lone window of the room and looked out, a grin playing across her lips. She was on the second floor with bushes directly underneath. It would be an easy landing. It was early into the night and that would give her plenty of darkness to cover her as she made her way from the hospital. Her hooves tried the window, but it would not budge. Cursing her weakness, she slammed her hoof down with a ferocious snap of her foreleg. She realized that it wasn't her strength, but a lock that kept her from freedom. She grumbled and turned her back to the window, eyes searching for something that would shatter it.

Pinkamena found an object that would break the pane of glass and was moving to collect it when she heard the undeniable sound of hoofsteps at her door. Her eyes went wide and, as she looked from the bed to the door, knew she couldn't be discovered awake. She grinned to herself as an idea came into her head, nuzzling gently into the images of hatred and suffering gathering therein.

Nurse Stable Heart enjoyed her job thoroughly. She helped sick and injured ponies become well again and seeing their bright smiles when they were released to return home made her heart swell with pride. She loved to see her patients walk out of the hospital and back into their lives. Her shift was only half finished but the pink mare was beaming with joy tonight, bouncing from room to room, her blonde mane surrounding her soft features in brilliant curls. She had released a colt who had come down with a severe case of pneighmonia. She thought about how he would be running with his friends again in a day or two and she couldn't help but bounce happily. Most of her patients were recovering with almost unnatural speed and she felt so good.

Stable paused at the nurse's desk to check some charts. She looked up at the nurse behind the desk with her large, bright eyes and beamed at her friend. "Good evening, Tickle Light. How are you tonight?"

Tickle was a teal pony with a sea blue mane. She smirked at Stable Heart and returned a smile, which was not nearly as perfect as Stable's but nice enough. They were friends and Tickle was glad she was working tonight. Most of the nurses were pleasant, but Stable made everything so much better with her bubbly personality. "I'm fine, Stabes. Are we still set for the movie house this Saturday?"

"Miss a chance to see 'Sleepless in Seaddle' with my best friend? Not a chance in the world! We can go over to the Gingerbread House for a snack before we go to the movie and stay up late afterward. We'll have so much fun!"

Tickle chuckled to herself, envisioning the fun they would have in only a few days. She had desperately wanted to see "Sleepless in Seaddle" but had been too busy the last few weeks to find the time. It was worth it, though, because now she would get to see it with Stable and they could really make an evening out of it. "I'll make sure to save some calories for some of those marmalade cinnamon cookies they make. How're the rounds going?"

If Stable's smile wasn't already stretched to the limit it would have grown until it separated her whole head. "Wonderful! Spin Shift went home today and old Mr. Wheat is doing so much better today."

"Great. Seems like a pretty good evening to work. Let's grab lunch soon. How does that sound? I hear the cafeteria has a new recipe for garden salad sandwiches."

"Sure. I just need to check on Jane Mare first." A sudden look came over Stable; much of the light left her large eyes and she seemed somewhat wistful. She dreaded checking on Jane Mare, the name they had given the poor mare that had been found outside of the emergency room a month before. Stable had been one of the nurses to find her and had since done much to keep the marred mare as comfortable as possible, but even Stable wasn't sure if she wanted the pink pony to regain consciousness. She was a mess and couldn't live a normal life again. She tried not to think about what the poor thing's life would be like—stares, gawks, constant physical pain, and emotional distancing. Jane was in a deep coma and most likely wouldn't recover and Stable, as much as she hated to think it, hoped it stayed that way.

Tickle grimaced and nodded gingerly. "Hey, I could check on her for you. You're having such a good day, there's no need to ruin it now. I've gotten used to how Jane looks and I don't mind, really." Tickle knew how Jane's predicament always brought Stable Heart's emotions down. She stood from her chair and reached to collect the files on Jane Mare.

Stable pulled the files close and shook her head softly, the beginnings of a new smile tugging at her lips. "I can do this. You don't have to. I need to stop letting Jane bother me so much. It's just so … horrible. That poor thing must have gone through a lot. I'm more afraid of seeing her awake than hearing the life support machines sound off."

Tickle nodded somberly, agreeing with her friend but not wanting to vocalize it. "I'd keep that under your lid, Stable, but yeah … you're sure you w ant to do it?"

"I've seen a lot, Tix. I've been here for six years now and I've lost patients before. This one is just … different, but I need to get over this. Thanks, though. Lunch in an hour." Stable turned from her friend and walked towards the east wing, where Jane Mare occupied room 219, the last room in the wing.

Stable heart braced herself, reminding herself that if she had seen severed legs, the deathly ill, and more gallons of blood than she could count, she could face a comatose burned mare. Her hooves clacked loudly against the tiled floor of the east wing and she flipped through the files of Jane Mare out of habit, already knowing what they said from the last dozen or so times she had done it. She paused at the door, rifling through the files as a distraction, buying herself another moment or two to gather her thoughts and prepare the emotional wall to face the mangled mare.

Stable opened the door slowly, eyes still searching the files as she walked inside the room. The door was on a mechanism that slowed its closing speed so that it didn't make a loud slamming noise. She stepped towards the bed, her knowledge of the room's layout guiding her steps when her foreleg skidded forward suddenly. She caught herself easily but the surprise pulled her eyes from the files. Blood … she gasped and realized that she had stepped into a small puddle of blood. She recognized several more tiny circular splotches scattered across the floor as blood as well. She didn't know what to think for a moment, she didn't know what could have caused it. Her mind quickly kicked into gear and she snapped her gaze up to the bed. It was empty and many more bright red splotches decorated the sheets and blanket. The fecal tube was lying at the bottom of the bed in a fetid black and brown pool that stank of old blood and filth. Her heart jumped and she nearly screamed. Someone had taken Jane Mare! A comatose patient had been pony-napped from her hospital room! Stable heart brought her hooves up to her mouth and shook her head at the sickening thought. She didn't notice that behind her the closing door revealed a pink and toasted pony with a frightening slash where a grin should be.

Stable almost got the shriek out as Pinkamena's hooves wrapped her throat from behind, cutting off the airflow and halting the impending cry for help. Her throat burned from the elbow choking off her oxygen. Stable kicked and thrashed at the attacker, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she panicked. The weight of the pony forced Stable to stumble back and into the wall, hitting hard enough to shake a dry erase chart of caretakers to fall upon them. She heard the rough growl as her attacker tightened her grip around Stable's neck. She had hoped the impact with the wall would have persuaded the pony to loosen her grip.

Tears began to form in the mare's eyes and she frantically tried to suck air into her lungs, but the elbow crooked around her throat was too tight and she simply gaped her mouth futilely. Her field of vision began to gain a cloudy blackness around the edges and she understood that she would soon fall unconscious. She didn't know what was going on but she couldn't just allow herself to die. Taking as much energy as she could muster, Stable kicked with her back legs and fell forward in an attempt to flip her persecutor off of her back. She only made it easier for her.

Stable's efforts to escape slowly quieted as Pinkamena lay on top of her victim, elbow locked tightly around her neck. A sick grin spread across Pinkamena's tarnished visage like a disease. In her head were images of Applejack slowly choking to death beneath her, so much in fact that she could see the orange coat, the blonde mane, and the tell-tale Stetson hat lying off kilter on the tiled floor. "You … deserve this. How does … it feel, A.J.? How does it feel … to die?" Her voice dripped with enjoyment and sin, venomously dripping saliva onto the back of Applejack's—Stable's—head. Pinkamena held tightly onto her nemesis' neck, her weak body bolstered with bloodlust and hate. She snarled at her victim and planted her hooves onto the tile, jerking her victim up by the neck. "Not yet … not yet, AJ. I won't let you get off so easily."

Stable Heart barely understood what her attacker was saying and very little of what she caught made sense. Her vision was nearly entirely black and her senses were failing, rendering her ability to struggle useless. The intense pressure finally retracted from her throat and a quick breath of air refreshed some of her receding awareness. She was dimly aware of being held up, she could see the window and the night sky outside, tiny silvery stars glittering like diamonds. She smiled weakly, always loving the night's beauty and he way it danced and shimmered in an endless canvas of blues and black. Suddenly, the window appeared larger and she could hear the sound of hooves. Was she going outside to see the starry night? She could use the moment to calm herself. She felt uneasy for some reason that she couldn't quite remember and, even though her neck ached and the night seemed to grow in her vision, she welcomed the gentle beauty of the darkness.

With a loud crash Pinkamena slammed her adversary through the window pane, sending many shards of glass skittering into the bushes below, but equally as many slashing into the flesh of Applejack. It wasn't enough; it would never be enough. Her fevered mind beckoned her forelegs to rake Applejack's face across the razor-like shards of glass that remained in the window frame. She giggled madly as she did so, streams of hot red blood pouring down the wall to begin pooling on the ivory tile below. Pinkamena broke into full laughter and closed her eyes, raising her head up in victory. "Fucking … got you. I fucking got you! DIE! DIE APPLEJACK! I fucking …"

Pinkamena's fever broke as she stared down at the unknown pink pony with a blonde mane in her hooves. Torn scraps of skin hung loosely from her lacerated skull and there was so much blood covering the floor, wall, and herself that she dropped the body of what must have been her nurse to land in a pile on the blood slick floor. She shook her head and ran her hooves through her mane, what mane still remained. It hadn't been Applejack. Damn it! She didn't recognize the nurse, which meant she must not be in Ponyville's hospital. Quickly she flipped the body onto its back and saw a name badge that read "Stable Heart, Registered Nurse, Hoofington Community Hospital."

Hoofington. She was in Hoofington. Ponyville wouldn't be terribly far from here. It would take her most of the night to get back. She looked at the gashed and shredded face of Stable Heart and smirked to herself. "Sorry. Thought you were somepony else. No hard feelings, right?" She knew the nurse would be dead within a few moments and that she couldn't hear her words, but she didn't care. Her road to Applejack was going to be strewn with corpses and this nurse was just the first of a very big pile.

The blood covered pink and burnt pony climbed through the window, falling to a rough landing in the bushes below her second story hospital room. She counted herself lucky that nothing had broken and trotted quickly away from the hospital and in the general direction of Ponyville, following a river she knew would lead her to the Everfree forest.

Sweetie Belle ran through the barren fields of Sweet Apple Acres, her thoughts cracking like a whip behind her. How could she have such sinister thoughts towards Apple Bloom, her closest friend? Had she really thought about what it would feel like to strike Apple Bloom? She knew she had. She had not only thought about it, but enjoyed thinking about it. She had wanted to do it. She wanted to see Apple Bloom's cute little face bruised and bloody. She wanted to see the hurt in her orange eyes while Sweetie stood over her. Something was terribly wrong with Sweetie Belle and she knew it; tears fell down her white cheeks. She wasn't really THAT bad was she? What was she becoming?

Sweetie breathed hard, her body taxed from the long run as she entered the field that separated her secret place from the forest around Sweet Apple Acres. Her lungs burned and her legs ached so bad that she slowed her pace, attempting to catch her breath while her little heart rapidly beat in her chest so hard that she thought she might pass out. After a few moments her filly body restored itself and she looked around the field, checking for unwanted visitors. She needed to be alone; she couldn't risk giving away her secret place, her only location of hidden sanctity, her flowers hidden in the dead forest by the river.

She had discovered them after an incident with Scootaloo long ago. She had been amazed that anything was growing in the poisoned lands of Sweet Apple Acres and had taken great lengths to prevent their discovery by anypony else, afraid for their safety. To Sweetie, the flowers were a symbol of herself, a mirror into her soul. They were both beautiful things growing in a hostile environment, struggling to survive in the cold, dead soil of their homes. When she gazed upon them, she felt hope for the future and tranquility that nopony she knew could bestow. Mentally, she needed a break from the atrocities she had recently undertaken and emotionally she needed some sort of peace before she lost herself to the darkness that had nearly taken her heart.

The small unicorn stepped lightly across the dirt and scrub field. The last time she had come to see her flowers she had discovered Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo training to fly instead. She scowled unknowingly as she thought of that pair—Rainbow Dash, the addict wonder, taking Scootaloo under her wing and cleaning herself up. What a loser. Sweetie knew she couldn't resist Sweets. What a pathetic mare. She deserved to be dead. A small smile opened across her lips as she thought about Scootaloo discovering her hero cold and dead on the floor. Scootaloo—tricking her had been so much fun. The fool, emotionally distraught from the loss of her mentor, had played right into Sweetie's plan and had been shown her parents dismembered flesh adorning ponnequin heads in Applejack's trophy room.

Sweetie Belle shivered from the sick enjoyment at the thought of Scootaloo's twisted face. She had found it difficult to stop laughing and had basked in the moment for a long while. It had gone beautifully, but she found herself still wanting to hurt Scootaloo more. She probably wouldn't get the chance now. Who knows where that ugly cretin had flown off to.

Sweetie caught herself thinking so vulgarly and looked down to the rotten soil beneath her; it was pale and dead in the morning sun and she sighed. Thoughts like that were what were causing her to feel and act so strangely. She chastised herself but, truthfully, felt no regret in what she had done to Scootaloo. All of her thoughts had come from real satisfaction and it scared her. Was she going to be like Applejack someday? Spike's death had rattled her to the core and she had felt cracked and dismembered by her part in it, but now, she realized, she no longer felt the great weight that had dragged her conscience into the bowels of fear and sadness. The only pangs of guilt she could still feel were from the knowledge that she had aided in killing Twilight, her mentor's, best friend. Twilight was a good pony and shouldn't be at Sweet Apple Acres where Applejack had forced her to become an Apple and murder her friends. She definitely didn't deserve to have her friend murdered by her apprentice. Sweetie sighed softly and supposed that it was better if Twilight thought Spike was back home in Canterlot. Still, looking Twilight in the eye had been difficult since then.

The filly's thoughts distracted her as she began the first few steps out of the field and into the forest by the river where skeleton trees stood in grim imitations of living ones. She gently slid down a hill that obstructed her view of the field and made her way towards the small rock formation where her flowers lived.

Sweetie didn't want to be like Applejack. Applejack had once been a sweet and caring pony, but she was a violent and heartless monster now. Sweetie felt a cold pit in her stomach as she saw her first steps down the road Applejack had trodden and she was hit by a sudden fit of sobs. She didn't want to be an evil pony like Applejack. She wanted to be good. She wanted Rarity to be proud of her, Twilight to love her, and if her parents were looking down on her, for them to smile and be happy with her choices. If any of them knew the terrible things she had done they would hate her.

Sweetie's blood-colored eye hurt and she paused to rub it with the soft fur behind her hoof. She breathed deeply and pushed her thoughts from her mind. Her flowers were just ahead and she would feel better soon. They would heal her broken spirit and repair the hate in her heart. They would assure her that she was still a good pony and that she wouldn't become a monster like Applejack. Her tiny legs picked up the pace as the need to see her flowers swept her consciousness and she hurried to the only thing she felt could redeem her conflicted soul.

As Sweetie came upon the rock formation and looked into her secret place, her heart broke. The darkness that gnawed at the fringes of her innocence and warped her heart would continue to dissolve her sanity. Her hopes shattered as she looked into the circular hiding spot. All of her precious flowers lay brown, rotten, and dead.


End file.
